The Price of Freedom
by Le Pigeon
Summary: Vexen was never one to deny a fresh test subject for experimentation, especially when it practically begged for it. But when certain events cause him to develop a sense of attachment to her, he begins to question his own sanity. Vexen/OC
1. What Luck has Brought

_Well this fanfic is in dedication for the new Re: CoM game coming to North America. I've already beaten the game boy version (which wasted away two years of my life) and strangely enough, I loved it. Yeah, Vexen/OC (but she isn't going to be sue-ish. I despise nothing else more than mary-sues.) Vexen is my fav. character in KH and I love him to DEATH XD (don't take that seriously) _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any kh characters! All Kingdom Hearts II characters belong to Tetsuya Nomura._

* * *

Vexen sat cross-legged on a random roof ledge towering above the hundreds and millions of people who were scattered about the Hollow Bastion marketplace. The view was magnificent, the wind blowing gently through his thick, blonde hair, the bright and dazzling colors of the far-off sunset, the sound of joyful and happy voices from below…It didn't appeal to him at all. He was a nobody, so such happy and glorious things didn't appeal to him in any way whatsoever. The only thing currently clouding the scientist's active and crazy mind was the assignment or _mission_ the _All Mighty _**_Superior_ **granted them. Xemnas had given them no description, no orders, no objectives; just to scan the entire borderline of Hollow Bastion. That was it. Such assignment like these were the very reasons he hid himself from day to night in Castle Oblivion's basement. He avoided pointless missions like these. And to make matters worse, Xemnas found it fit to pair him up with _Sai'x_.

That foolish, young, disrespectful, blue haired, scar-faced, short-tempered, arrogant _dog_. Vexen knew all to well how Sai'x acted towards low-ranking members, such as Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, and finally The Key of Destiny himself, Roxas. Kissing up to the Superior was his only talent aside from being able to transform into a bat shit crazy berserker in less that two seconds. Other than that, he was pretty much about as useful as Demyx in the underworld. He only dirtied his hands when necessary, or rather have his partners do all the spine-breaking work _for _him. And, as usual, he gets all the credit.

"Disrespectful little _swine_…" He grumbled angrily, tugging on his dirty blonde locks that swung into his face during his intensive thinking.

Sai'x was currently surveying the barren glaciers that surrounded the area near the Hollow Bastion Castle. But Vexen knew why Sai'x chose such a position, and it had nothing to do with the scenery or depopulation.

Nothing. Ever. Happened. There. End of story.

Again, he never like dirtying his own hands, so it was only fitting that the berserker left Vexen to scan the most populated, noisy, and obnoxiously colorful area on the godforsaken _layout_. But, strangely enough, it was somewhat of an advantage for the chemist. Why? Because he didn't have to deal with that arrogant and disrespectful attitude of his. He had rather it be silent than have to hear the berserker go on and on about the chemist's current age and uselessness.

"He should be one to talk…" He growled.

Vexen let out a long and stifled sigh and outstretched his arms to either side of him. His body had grown stiff from remaining in one spot for so long, and he found nothing of particular interest in the past couple hours. Plus he had already scanned most of Hollow Bastion, and as it always is, nothing had changed, so there was really no point in staying there any longer. Vexen swung his legs over the edge of the roof and slapped the flat of his palms on the wood frame. In one swift movement of his arms, he repelled himself off the roof and swooped down to the cement ground below. Now one would think that one of his age would either tumble clumsily to the ground or break multiple limbs by falling from such a height. But nobodies were special beings, or non-beings as they would call it, so people like them could jump off a five story building and land gracefully on their feet without so much as a grunt. Plus, nobodies were technically invisible to the human eye, so Vexen remained unseen by the public as he silently dashed through the many crowds of people. Of course they weren't permanently invisible, they could uncloak their presence when and if they wished to.

The speed that Vexen was running at was nearly inhuman. Everything around him, and I mean everything, people, buildings, moogles, were reduced to nothing but blurry strings of colors that whizzed past his face in the fashion of a rainbow.

Turn.

Dodge.

Jump.

Pivot.

He did all these things almost expertly. Then again he was one of the oldest existing members of Organization XIII, so it only made sense…

His black, leather cloak billowed loudly behind him as he only increased in speed. His long blonde hair whipped wildly around his face, and all this made him look almost…_cool _in a way. The intense look in his eyes, the way he expertly maneuvered obstacles standing in his path, his concentration. He smirked at the thought of how he must've looked by now.

_Take that Axel_

However, to his misfortune, Vexen seemed to have overlooked just one small detail sitting not so far away from him. A female to be exact. And at that particular moment, clumsily, and almost comically, the tip of his boot caught the young female by her ankles, and lost his footing. Not only was it bad enough did he land flat on his stomach, knocking the air out of him, but his body refused to stop sliding, and in a rather hysterical fashion, he crashed into a large heap of garbage _head first_.

Food, paper, bugs, dirt, you name it plastered themselves onto the fabric of Vexen's clothes and glued to the blonde strands of hair on the scientist's head.

* * *

Sai'x moved his fingers up the pulse of his neck and came to rest at the roots of his blue locks. In one fluent motion, he flipped his hair over his broad shoulders and rested his gaze upon the silent glaciers that towered above him.

"I wonder what has become of Vexen." He questioned himself suddenly remembering the blonde scientist. He ran a hand through the strands of his hair as his gaze focused on the distant marketplace.

"Perhaps it is time for us to depart."

Vexen removed a moldy strand of spaghetti from his hair. Giving it a look of disgust, he carelessly tossed it into the trash heap behind him.

"Ugh, this is utterly _unsanitary_." The chemist flicked off a piece of egg shell off his arm. " It is times like these that I am thankful I am not a filthy unworthy _human_."

Vexen rolled up his sleeves and scrunched up his face as he removed his gloves.

"At least it is my fortune that Sai'x was nowhere near to see this…"

As if on cue, and to his misfortune, the scientist heard a light and distinguishable chuckle behind him. Turning his head over his shoulders, his willow eyes spotted the berserker standing just meters above him. And to make matters worse, he was smirking. Something he rarely did unless he saw something totally and utterly amusing.

"Hello, Sai'x…" Vexen slurred, brushing off dirt and food off his tarnished cloak. The smirk on the berserker's face quickly faded and was replaced by his natural frown.

"What are you doing down there, IV?" He questioned impassively, amusement forgotten.

Vexen scowled at the sound of being called by his number yet again…by a nobody ranked lower than him. That was another thing about Sai'x that irked him. He always assumed he could get away with calling everyone by their rank just because he was favored by the Superior.

"Respect your elders, _VII_" He snarled, slurring the word _seven _on purpose to catch the attention of his not-superior. He wasn't afraid of Sai'x, nor did he find him threatening _unless in berserker state_, so that's why he went as far as he did, but it was in his fortune that Sai'x wasn't in one of his bad moods.

"What did you call me?" Sai'x breathed, uncrossing his arms while glaring down at the older nobody below him.

Vexen rolled his eyes, still unfazed by the diviner's false anger.

"I called you by your _rank_, VII." He stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

Vexen brushed the last of the garbage and food off his cloak and sourly slipped his dirtied leather gloves back on, his fingers brushing up against small crumbs of food left over inside the material. While doing so he avoided looking the berserker in the eye, heaven only knows what he could be thinking right now.

"I believe it's time for us to _leave_, IV…" He heard Sai'x growl from above him. This reaction caused the sides of Vexen's lips to curve upward in a satisfied grin. It, of course, was a fake grin, seeing as nobodies had no emotions.

"Yes. I believe it is…"

* * *

Demyx happily strummed his blue sitar with his index finger while silently tapping his foot to the steady beat. Xigbar was lazily sprawled out on the stairway lying right next to the musician, while Zexion, being the quiet and mysterious person that he was, was seated in a large, red chair reading a rather thick brown book that shielded his mouth and nose from the members sitting opposite of him. The library was a pleasant, desolate place for nobodies like them to relax. The fireplace blazed red-hot with the tiny flames licking at the granite stone, keeping them in their prison with the golden bookshelves that twisted and covered the entire walls of the room. And above the fireplace was a large, golden frame in which a detailed and colorful painting of Ansem the Wise looking not stern, but calm and serene with his hands folded loosely on his lap, smiling mysteriously. The only noises that could be heard in such a place were the flipping of pages in Zexion's book, and the steady rhythm of Demyx's sitar. Xigbar had his arms shoved underneath his head, his ponytail spilled down two of the steps coming at an end near the musician's feet. His one eye was closed, signaling he had dosed off in a light slumber.

"Can you keep that racket down just a tad bit, Demyx? I cannot concentrate on my novel." Came a low and young voice from across the room. Demyx's aqua blue eyes rose from his sitar to the youngest nobody sitting across from him. His book was now sitting open on his lap, and his crystal-like eyes focused on the musician's fingers, which were currently lying on the strings of his instrument.

"Er, uh…sorry Zexy…" Demyx stuttered while quickly taking his hands off the offending sitar.

This action granted Demyx a thankful nod from the schemer sitting in the oversized chair, who currently decided to dive back into his so-called _interesting _novel. Xigbar grunted, awaken from his nap, and rubbed his eye with his left hand, staring at the schemer.

"Hey, that wasn't nice." Xigbar shot from across the room. "Why don't you behave like a good boy and read your book. Dem's just play'n a little music."

Zexion frowned and lowered his book for the second time.

"I just said I could not concentrate with him playing his sitar like he was; I see no problem with that."

Xigbar gave the schemer a cocky grin, one that could only mean he wanted to start an all out argument.

"As if, your book's louder'n that." He said with a smirk.

Zexion refocused his gaze to one of the paragraphs in his book. His crystal blue eyes wandered from word to word while his mind registered what the Freeshooter just said.

"It is not." He said flatly, turning a page.

"Is so." Xigbar retorted jokingly.

"No. It's not."

"Is so."

"It's a book, it makes no noise."

"Does so."

"Xigbar-"

"Pages make noise."

"Will you stop-"

"Flipp'n pages are louder than Dem's sitar."

"Will you drop it-"

Demyx's head darted from Xigbar to Zexion while both nobodies argued over the most ridiculous subject that could have easily been avoided. While in the midst of their argument, both failed to noticed the musician had gone back to playing his sitar, totally ignoring their little battle while the music drowned out the noise. The once quiet and desolate library had now erupted into a mini war zone as Demyx strummed his sitar rather loudly while both the Freeshooter and schemer went on and on about pointless things that could've easily caught the attention of anyone strolling outside the radiant doors. Such was a typical day in the Organization XIII.

"I am not _emo_!" Zexion shouted back to Xigbar who, might I add, was still sprawled out on the ten step stairway.

"Fix your hair, shrimp! That outta help!"

"Xigbar, go back to your nap, I have no further interest of-"

"Ohoho! Do I smell forfeit?" Xigbar shouted while pushing himself off the stairs with both his arms. Zexion glowered at the Freeshooter through the large clump of hair that covered his left eye.

"This was never a contest-" That last of his sentence ended not with a retort as he would've liked it to, but with a very loud and disgusted gag and choking sound that could only mean his ultra sensitive nose had caught the scent of something of complete and utter disgust. Xigbar and Demyx quickly ceased their argument to stare at the shorter nobody cringe at whatever he just whiffed.

"Gyuk, _ack_, _huuurrrk…_mu…w-what in the name of Kingdom Hearts is that wretched _stench_?" He managed to gag out as he quickly covered his small nose with the sleeve of his black jacket.

Xigbar and Demyx exchanged confused glances with each other as they both watched Zexion writhe in discomfort in the oversized red chair. But at that moment, oh at that horrible, wretched, godforsaken moment, Demyx and Xigbar finally picked up the scent that immobilized the cloaked schemer so. The musician's eyes grew to the size of saucers as his nose began to burn from the inside from the horrifying smell. As quickly as his arms could move, he slapped both his hands over his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. Xigbar, on the other hand, was doing quite the opposite. He took in one, great whiff of the smell, and erupted in utterly hysterical laughter.

"Dude, that _stinks_! You really outdid yourself on that one, Dem!" He yelled as he gave a congratulated smack on Demyx's back, earning yet another yelp from the musician.

"W-what? What do you mean, I didn't do it!" He responded, looking the Freeshooter right in the eye. A rather embarrassed look at that.

Xigbar only burst out laughing again.

"As if, dude! It smells just like you!"

Demyx looked at Zexion for help. But before the schemer had a chance to decipher who or what the smell had belonged to, the fire sitting on the opposite wall of Xigbar had suddenly put itself out, plunging the entire library into darkness. In it's place, in the fire's place that is, a pitch black oval, taller than the fireplace mantle, opened up in front of the wall, and to everyone's surprise and dismay, out stepped none other than the Chilly Academic, and the Luna Diviner.

And to worsen things at that point, the minute Vexen stepped out of the darkness, the smell must've increased by at least ten times. Zexion was the first to retaliate.

"Why in the name of Kingdom Hearts do you wreak with such an awful _stench_?" Zexion demanded, wrinkling his nose.

Vexen frowned and sniffed the sleeve of his coat. Sai'x, however, found it necessary to respond in his place.

"He fell in a waste pile." He answered impassively, attention focused on the fire which had magnificently re-lit in the fireplace in bright, orange colors.

Now it was Zexion's turn to frown.

"Vexen…fell in a _waste pile_?" He repeated slowly, looking back at the scientist who was now heading towards the door.

"What, might I ask, caused him to do that?"

"I have no details, if you wish to know, ask him yourself." Sai'x retorted, following the footsteps of the chemist out the door and into the hallway.

Vexen tested the water with his index finger while keeping a good firm grip on his towel that hung loosely around his waist. The remains of an embarrassing banana peel entangled itself into his dirty blonde hair. Leftovers of meat and sandwiches were smacked to his pale cheeks, and the banana peel was accompanied by half a napkin, which was of course _used_. Scrunching up his nose, he pulled the napkin off his head and angrily tossed it into the nearest trash can. The moldy banana peel soon followed.

* * *

He rested his exhausted eyes on the glass door of the shower, waiting for the water to get at least a little hotter before he decided to submerge himself in the hot liquid. He honestly couldn't wait, he felt so filthy compared to how dirty he managed to get in the basement quarters. He couldn't really remember the last time he had a shower, perhaps it would be healthier if he decided to bath regularly…okay maybe once a week but that was good enough.

With a long and anticipated sigh, he undid the fold in his towel and reached for the silver handle of the shower door.

"Um, excuse me…Vexen?" Coughed a small and shy voice from behind him.

The chemist nearly jumped out of his skin after hearing the voice of the young girl over his shoulders. As quick as lightning, he snatched his white towel off the rack and tied it around his waist to preserve what dignity he had left. Standing just feet behind him, clutching a small notepad the size of her head, was none other than the white witch Namine.

"Oh, um…sorry, Vexen. I don't mean to bother you but um…Xemnas-I mean the _Superior _wants to speak with you. He said to report to his office the second you got back so um…" Her sentence trailed off as her eyes darted from everywhere in the bathroom, occasionally coming to a stop on the wet towel that clung onto the thin frame of Vexen's waistline.

The scientist gave the witch a brief scowl and fastened the ends of the towel in a small knot so he could have the use of his hands.

"Have you any manners, Namine? As you can clearly see, I am not decent, so if you would please-" He put the palm of his hand to Namine's back and gently nudged her towards the door.

Namine pressed her heels to the floor and leaned back into Vexen's hand as they approached the entryway to the bathroom. She clutched her notebook tightly in her arms as she tilted her head up to look up into the scientist's face.

"Wait, please! I don't mean to bother you but it was Xemnas's orders! If you don't report down there as instructed, you're putting yourself in danger!"

Vexen slowed as he approached the door and grasped Namine by her small shoulders and spun her around on the spot.

"And I suppose I should believe you? Why in the name of Kingdom Hearts would Xemnas order someone like _you _to send for _me_?"

Namine bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze to the tips of her sandals, swaying back and forth on her heels.

"Well…He didn't exactly ask _me _to do it…" she started innocently. "Marluxia was originally chosen to come and report this to you…but, you see, he doesn't like doing the Superior's work for him…so he told me to go and get you myself…sort of…" Namine gave him a weak smile and stroked the cover of her sketchpad.

Vexen frowned nervously and reached for his black coat that hung on one of the racks.

* * *

Xemnas sat silently in his white office lit by only one small lamp that resided in a dark corner. His silver hair hung lazily in his eyes as he dipped his head to read a piece of parchment Xigbar had snatched up on one of his missions in the Land of the Dragons. It looked interesting enough to read, seeing as the Freeshooter had made a rather detailed paper airplane out of it and tossed it at him during one of their gatherings. The Chinese writing had been damaged due to the parchment being carelessly dropped in a large bank of snow, plus to add to that there was a finger sized hole smack dab in the middle which resembled one of the bullets out of Xigbar's freeshooting guns. With an impassive sigh he tossed it into one of many piles of paper sitting on the corner of his desk.

"You may enter, Vexen." Came his low and serious voice, already sensing the older nobody was standing outside the door preparing to knock.

With a long and shrill _creek, _the white door slid open only a quarter of the way, and the blonde head of the scientist poked it's way into the office. Xemnas made a motion with his hand for him to come inside. With great hesitation, Vexen placed his entire hand on the face of the door and pushed it open, stepping fully inside the room.

"You seem hesitant, IV. Is there something on your mind?" He questioned, leaning forwards a bit and raising a gloved hand to his lips.

Vexen blinked a few times before moving his head from side to side.

"No, Superior. Nothing worth mentioning." He responded dully.

Xemnas grinned under his hand and accepted his response with a brief nod.

"Very well, Vexen. Though I am a bit curious as to see how you faired in your mission at Hollow Bastion…did you find anything of particular _interest_?" He questioned suddenly, quickly spotting the residue of tiny bits of food and garbage sticking out of the scientist's hair.

Vexen frowned and felt for any traces of wrappers or food left in his hair.

"I tripped over a female back at the marketplace…nothing a little soap and water won't fix." He said while tugging at the blonde strands.

Xemnas quirked and eyebrow and parted his lips slightly, taking in what the scientist had just said.

"You tripped over a female," He started slowly. "And you landed where?…"

Vexen froze. It was at times like these that he was truly thankful that the Superior had no emotions, otherwise he'd possible die laughing at that happening that befell him at the marketplace. He took in a long, and deep breath and pulled his hand out of his blonde locks.

"I fell in a dumpster, Superior." He answered hesitantly. "Pardon my rudeness, but I wish to rid myself of this stench before anyone else in the castle takes notice-"

Xemnas narrowed his eyes and placed his hands on his desk, lifting himself off his chair and planting his feet firmly on the ground.

"Are you still conducting experiments on the functions of the heart, Vexen?" He questioned suddenly, advancing in slow and easy steps towards the scientist.

Vexen widened his eyes and responded with a rather eager nod.

"Why of course, Superior! What other experiments could I possibly be working on?" His sudden upbeat attitude caused him to totally forget about his cleanliness and focus on whatever the Superior had to say.

Xemnas smirked and stopped short just three feet away from the scientist.

"Are you still willing to conduct human experiments?…" He asked rather quickly, confusing Vexen for a brief amount of time.

"Sir?"

"I'm merely implying that if you wish to continue your research on the heart, you should conduct research on a live human instead of using just notes."

Vexen's curious eyes followed Xemnas as he circled him in a hawk-like fashion, hovering slightly closer than he had been before.

"I've known that your somebody, Even, had a rather gifted talent for science just as you do, Vexen. I've come to understand that he previously, before he lost his heart, conducted human experiments under the influence of Xehanort. He was quite good at it, from what I can tell. But what I am saying is, if you would like to experience that feeling once more, perhaps take your research a tad bit further this time."

This man was truly the devil. His offer was absolutely tempting to the scientist, being able to experiment on the heart, but this time more thoroughly…what more could he ask for?

"It would be my honor to, sir," He started rather excitedly. "But, where might I ask would I find such a willing specimen?"

It was at that moment that Xemnas gained the widest grin that Vexen had ever seen him do; it looked almost as if the Cheshire cat was right in front of his face. But there was no mistaking this grin, he knew it meant the Superior knew the exact answer to his question.

"What about that female you _acquainted _yourself with in the marketplace?"

* * *

Sorry if this chap was a little boring T_T I'm trying to make it as interesting as possible. I know you didn't see much of that girl Vexen tripped over, but I promise she'll be in my next chap. As for those of you who are waiting for Axel and Roxas…chapter 2 is worth waiting for :D *hopefully*


	2. Accidental Meeting

The quiet and desolate atmosphere of Hollow Bastion hung effortlessly in the still air as the market place grew less and less crowded with every passing hour. Small children and young adults eventually retreated back into their hotels as the sun finally began to fall below the horizon. Store keepers and moogles had long last closed up their shops for the night while hanging CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT signs on the nails of their doors. Street lamps and dim lit candles silently re-lit themselves after sensing the ever-so-close night was approaching. Yet there was one person still wandering aimlessly through the evening of the town. But little did she know that her very life was about to be jeopardized thanks to the works of one shrewd scientist that she later wished she regretted meeting.

"Please…don't touch me." The young female stuttered nervously, feeling a pair of inhuman hands wrap themselves around her forearms.

Vexen scratched the underside of his chin as the corners of his mouth curved upwards in a Cheshire cat grin. His right eyelid rose slightly after hearing the girl's pathetic and useless pleas. It's been a good two hours since the scientist had been wandering the area, trying to relocate the foolish female he just so happened to trip over several hours earlier.

"Be very still, for I will not harm you." He soothed, making a quick motion with his hand to the dusks for them to hoist her to her feet.

The girl was suddenly and unwillingly lifted off the flat and welcoming ground by her arms, and then forcibly set down in a standing position. Her legs staggered slightly, but the dusks kept a very firm hold on her.

"What do you want? Let me go!" She panicked, struggling hopelessly in the lesser nobodies arms.

All though the dusks had a bad reputation of having a mind smaller than that of an unworthy heartless, (_or the Melodious Nocturne for that matter_), they wielded the ability to muster the strength of at least ten men, if not more. Struggling was utterly useless if one happened to come across one of these creatures, and was somehow foolish enough to actually get _captured _by one.

The girl struggled with every little ounce of strength she had left, thrashing her arms in every direction in a futile attempt to possibly hit her attacker. She flailed her arms, legs, head, anything that could be used as a weapon against these creatures. However, to Vexen's surprise, the girl had somehow managed to wrestle her entire right arm free of one of the dusks, and in one desperate attempt for freedom, she brought the rounded tip of her trembling elbow smack-dab on top of its head.

_**Fwak**_

Just hearing the sickening sound alone would've been enough for anybody to stomach, but the minute she wacked the nobody over the head, it instantly unwrapped her forearms and spun around in an intoxicated-like manner. It swayed from side to side, arms flailing in random directions while sometimes smacking a fellow dusk across the face, sending it spiraling at the speed of a large top.

Vexen wrinkled his eyebrows as he unwillingly rose to his feet and allowed his eyes to follow the female through the maze of glaciers of all sizes. He gathered a large chunk of blonde hair in his fingers and swiftly tucked it behind his ear.

"Bothersome wench…" He grumbled, barely extending his skinny and cloaked arm to snatch the handle of his icy blue shield.

He wrapped his boney fingers around the grip of his weapon, and carefully and stealthily pinpointed the female's exact position in the glaciers. She wasn't too far off for he could still see the helpless girl stumbling through the maze of rocks.

"She thinks she can actually outrun me…" He thought aloud, planting his feet firmly on the ground, pulling his heavy weapon on the bridge of his back.

In the blink of an eye, Vexen had vanished.

* * *

She ran blindly through the endless mazes of glaciers and rocks, desperately slapping her hands on either one of them in a desperate attempt to find an exit. Her cold, bare feet slipped on the loose gravel that covered the icy ground beneath her. Several times she slipped on this gravel and went tumbling down to the unforgiving earth beneath. Other times she would run into solid rock face-first completely oblivious to whatever was in front of her. But she really was running blindly through the trails, for she could not see. Not one bit.

Vexen had effortlessly swished past his prey in a matter of ten seconds, then finally came to a dead stop at a good ten meters away from her. He quickly gripped the handle of his shield and swung it around his body so it was in plain sight of his female victim. But, for some strange reason, she kept on running. Not running as in taking notice of her pursuer and dashing in the other direction, but running as in a dead straight path were Vexen was currently standing.

"Girl must be insane." He thought aloud, narrowing his eyes as so he could focus on the speed she was running.

The girl advanced in fast and reckless steps as she unknowingly approached her attacker from the front.

'_Where is he? Is he coming after me? Where am I going? Am I running in circles?' _She thought in an unsteady tone.

Her messy black hair caught the breeze of the wind and flapped out painfully behind her, wiping at her face and being tangled to the point where they were tied in endless knots. She rose one trembling hand to brush the mess away from her sunken face, when suddenly, and out of no where, she collided head first into a icy and firm chest. Her legs were quickly swept out from under her and in an ungraceful-like manner, she fell on her rear and sprawled onto her back.

"Oh!"

Vexen wasn't really sure what had just happened, but the female had just practically ran into her predator's arms. He couldn't tell if it was intended or not, or maybe this certain girl was just stupid, but he knew he had her right where he wanted her.

"Foolish girl." He sighed while moving his head from side to side in disappointment.

"Running straight into the arms of her attacker. How ignorant…"

Without time to spare, he quickly snatched up the girl by her wrist and swiftly dragged her to her feet. The look on her face was unreadable.

"W-what? But I thought I-!"

Vexen slapped a gloved hand over her mouth.

"Be silent, girl. You've lost, there's no turning back."

She struggled under the older man's grip and attempted to wiggle out of his firm grasp, but all that constant thrashing and kicking did was tire her helpless body out, and eventually waste away what was left of her strength.

Vexen grinned in satisfaction.

"Good girl."

His voice was almost like an echo from her perspective after she felt a cold, leather hand on the back of her neck. With one swift movement, he applied direct pressure to the sensitive area's in the back of her head, and then everything went white.

* * *

Xemnas blinked almost unbelievingly at the young woman Vexen had uncomfortably strapped to a table. She was totally unconscious, he could tell, and in terrible condition by the looks of it. Her colorless eyes stared motionless up into the bright ceiling lights, and her lips were parted slightly, giving her the chance to breathe.

Sai'x awkwardly cleared his throat.

"What exactly are you planning on doing with your time, IV?" He questioned solemnly, orange eyes darting from the scientist back to the female specimen lying face up on the table.

Vexen quirked a blonde eyebrow and faced the berserker while slipping on a pair of medical gloves.

"What does it _look _like, VII? What experiments I undergo in my laboratory are of my business and mine alone. I see no reason to explain such _complicated _things to a nobody ranked lower than myself..."

Vexen made a quick motion with his hand towards the metal door.

"You may leave. I wish to work in private."

At the rate of how low the diviner's jaw must've dropped at that moment just might've sent _Zexion _into hysterics, yet the response he got from the Superior was not the one he had expected.

"If that is what you wish, IV." He breathed, brushing back a lock of silver hair that had somehow spilled onto his face.

"Come, Sai'x."

The soft _click click _rhythm of the Superior's boots sliding across the floor was the only noise that could be heard other than the unsteady breathing patterns of the berserker.

* * *

"I wonder what Vexen could be doing in his lab…" Zexion muttered after taking notice that the scientist was not present at the dinning table.

Lexaeus stabbed his fork into the tender red area of his delectable steak, then slowly popping a square piece inside his mouth.

"He had a girl with him earlier…" he responded nonchalantly, shoveling a spoonful of peas right in after.

The schemer's gaze fell upon the empty seat and the untouched dishes of Vexen's meal that sat unmoving at the other end of the table. Xigbar, who had gracefully scarfed down his entire meal within seconds, began eyeballing the unopened lid and tray that held within the scientist's favorite food. He could've sworn he saw a thin line of drool sliding down the Freeshooter's chin.

"Hey uh…is Frankenstein planning on coming down here to eat his dinner any time soon?…Cause if he doesn't want it-"

"Go ahead, Xigbar." Sai'x sighed, flicking his wrist as a motion to grant permission to the Freeshooter for Vexen's meal.

He didn't need to be told twice as both he and Axel dove at the dish and began a game of tug-of-war on a lemon-dipped chicken leg.

Roxas watched unwillingly as his best friend savagely ripped and grabbed at the absent scientist's dish, while noisily chomping away at whatever he could get his hands on.

"Eugh…" He gagged, slapping his hand to his mouth and wrapped an arm around his upset stomach after watching both Freeshooter and Flurry attack the meal like savage beasts.

Larxene, on the other hand, broke out laughing and slammed a hand on the surface of the table.

"Don't choke now, dear!" She hollered from across the table in between giggles.

But just right after she finished that sentence, Axel clamped a hand to his throat and drew his head back while hitting the table with his knee. He clumsily rolled off the seat of his chair and hit the tiled floor beneath him with a loud _thud _that caused everyone to take their eyes off their meal and glance in his direction. Axel made realistic gagging and choking noises that could've convinced anybody he was _really _suffocating on a piece of food. It, of course, was an act seeing as Xigbar burst out laughing with a chicken bone sticking halfway out of his mouth.

Larxene, who froze suddenly convinced the pyro was really choking on something, gripped the handle of her fork and angrily tossed it in his direction, which just missed a few strands of his red hair by centimeters. However, due to the accuracy of her throw, she came close to nailing Xigbar in his left eye, and would've succeeded had he not ducked under the table at the last second. The fork implanted itself in the wall opposite herself and stuck out with a loud _boiinng_.

Sai'x rolled his eyes and viciously bit a piece of meat off his steaming hot roast, keeping his attention on _anything _but Axel at this point. It was times like these that he really did wish he _was _choking on his food.

Roxas frowned as he watched Axel writhe on the floor in a fake attempt at trying to look like he was suffocating. It wasn't believable, he thought, because then his face would've turned different shades of colors.

As the pyro effortlessly swallowed up the piece of food still in his mouth, he made a grab for the edge of the table in order to pull himself to his feet. But in the midst of his little act, Demyx had taken it upon himself to leap out of his chair, and quickly take the flurry from around his ribcage and hoist him off the ground. Axel nearly spewed the piece of broccoli he was currently chewing in his mouth after Demyx had suddenly jabbed the corner of his thumb into his chest and moved it in an up and down motion.

"_Hurrk_…Demyx! What the heck do you think you're-!"

As bad as the fake display Axel had just put on was, the most gullible nobody at the table had mistakenly figured that the pyro was really choking on something. So the musician pushed his chair outwards and grabbed the scrawny man from behind to perform The Heimlich Maneuver as quickly as possible.

"Don't worry, Axel!" Demyx reassured.

"You're gonna be fine!"

Roxas watched as the nocturne carelessly lifted his best friend off his feet numerous times in an attempt to make him spit out the food he wasn't choking on. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as his actions, almost turning his frown into a wide and toothy smile as he watched how easily Axel was lifted off the ground. He really did need to put on some weight, because he was just so gosh darn easy to push around.

"_**Hyug**_-Dem! I'm-_whoa_!-F-fine!! It was just a-_huuurrk_-**JOKE**!"

Demyx, who seemingly blocked out what his friend had just said, continued the technique with no further question causing the savage nymph across from him to break down in a hysterical laughing fit. Larxene uncontrollably banged her fists on the surface of the table as tears poured out of her eyes which were currently squeezed shut.

Xigbar fell off his seat and landed clumsily on his back with both his arms draped around his abdomen as he struggled to breathe through his stifled laughter.

As for the cloaked schemer and silent hero, they just sat in total silence finishing off what was left of their meal acting as if they were dead to the world.

It was in the midst of all this chaos that Vexen suddenly emerged from the white radiant doors which slid shut with a loud _click_, instantly silencing the voices that continuously echoed through the hallways. Even Sai'x and Xemnas stopped devouring their meals to glance up at the scientist who had untimely entered the dinning hall.

"Good evening…" He said uncomfortably, avoiding the many eyes that were now focused upon his entry.

Vexen's eyes darted across the table to rest on his so-called _dish _that Axel and Xigbar had so kindly left for him. Hesitantly, he strolled along the wall using his hand as a guide, and quickly took his proper seat near both Lexaeus and Zexion.

"Good evening, Vexen." Zexion said impassively, briefly taking his eyes off his lexicon to greet his older friend.

Vexen moved his head in the direction he heard the younger one's voice.

"As to you, Zexion." He nodded, scooting his chair in.

As quick as lightning, the musician dropped the pyro on his feet and jumped onto the seat of his chair, acting as if nothing happened.

Axel frowned and opened his mouth in a big O to say something in response, but his voice was quickly lost after the keyblader snatched the hood of his jacket and forcibly pulled him onto his rear in his chair.

"Why is everyone so quiet, Lexaeus?" Vexen whispered, fearing the other members would hear the penetrating sound of his voice and once again turn in their seats to stare at him.

Lexaeus sloppily cut a red piece of meat off his plate and quickly stuck it in his mouth.

"…You had a woman with you earlier, am I right?" He asked curiously, avoiding the scientist's previous question on purpose. This earned him a quirked eyebrow and an open jaw from his partner.

"I just asked why everyone was-

"Dude! You have a _girl _in the basement?" Xigbar suddenly cut in, sticking his neck out as his one eye widened in size from interest.

Vexen moved his head over his shoulder to glance at the Freeshooter who was at the moment hovering at an unsafe distance in the scientist's personal space. With a clear of his throat he responded quickly.

"For human experiment purposes only. I will not allow entry into my lab until the experiment is-

Again, Xigbar rudely interrupted. Only this time by sticking his index finger out and pointing accusingly at the scientist.

"Dude, that's _no _way to ask out a girl. You've seriously got to get out more…"

Zexion choked on a piece of his salad and dropped the fork he was currently holding. He quickly lashed his arm out to grab a cool glass of water that sat behind his plate.

Vexen gave the schemer a sideways glare.

"_Thank you_, Zexion." He responded sarcastically.

The schemer offered his friend an apologetic look while noisily gulping down his beverage at a tremendous speed.

Sai'x rolled his eyes.

"If you would excuse me, I would like to return to my quarters…" He growled angrily, pushing out his chair with a loud _shriek _and swiftly gliding out the white doors.

* * *

Axel winced as he poked at the tender area surrounding his chest where Demyx had previously forced into the unworthy Heimlich Maneuver.

"Oww…" He whined bitterly, leaning half his body weight on the key of destiny as so he would be sandwiched up against the wall.

Roxas yelped and slapped his hands on the pyro's shoulders.

"Axel, get off me!" he gasped, said response earning a low and childish groan from his best friend.

"Sorry kid, legs don't wanna work, y'know?" He complained in a fake hurt tone while eyeballing the top of Roxas's head.

The shorter nobody sighed and forcibly pushed his partner away from his body.

"You're such a wimp, Axel." he snorted.

"And you really need to gain some weight. No offense but if somebody like _Demyx _can lift you up that _high _without even trying-

Axel swung his arm around the keyblader's shoulder, and quickly forced him into an inescapable headlock.

"And _you _need to get taller, shorty." The red-head snickered, messing up his partner's nicely brushed and spiky hair with his knuckles.

"Gain some weight!" He shot back while pulling his head out of Axel's death grip.

"_Lose _some weight." He retorted with a half a smirk. To which of course Roxas responded with a hard kick to his shin.

* * *

"You're not going to…_kill _me, are you?" She sputtered nervously, tugging fearfully at the shackles that bound her arms and legs to the cold metal table.

Vexen completely ignored whatever the girl was saying and quickly slipped on a pair of disposable medical gloves with a loud _snap_.

This made her jump.

"Don't move around too much." He ordered firmly, picking up a sharpened scalpel and gliding towards the table in slow easy steps.

"You'll just make it harder for yourself."

The girl grimaced and began struggling with ferocious force against her shackles.

"Don't come near me!" She shouted warningly at the top of her lungs.

"Or you'll be sorry!"

This, of course, only made the scientist chuckle in a strange yet amused way as he twirled the scalpel around in his fingers.

"You may cry and beg to your hearts content, but no amount of screaming will change my mind." He chuckled.

Her ears picked up the steady rhythm of the scientist's heavy steps slowly approaching her. Time was running out and she had to act quickly if she wanted to make it out in one piece. With one final tug, the rubber strap around her ankle slackened slightly, giving her foot just enough room to just slip through. Then, without warning, her foot came up and kicked Vexen across the face, sending him stumbling backwards and dropping the scalpel under a desk.

This was her last chance. She struggled with every bit of strength she had left to loosen the strap around her wrist. But no matter how much pressure she put on the elastic, it refused to slacken, instead it only tightened it's hold on her reddened wrist making it impossible for her to escape.

Vexen, on the other hand, angrily popped his jaw back into its correct position, and quickly gathered himself so the girl didn't have the time to see what true damage she had done to him.

"Foolish _wench_." He snarled viciously while pulling himself to his feet by grasping the ledge of a table above him.

_**Now **_she started to panic.

"Don't come any closer! Stay away!" She shouted nervously, making kicking motions with her one free leg as if to threaten to kick him again.

Vexen frowned and snatched up her struggling leg, and securely fastening it to the table making sure it was tight enough enabling her to escape. He knew instantly that this girl was definitely going to put up quite a vicious fight, and simply killing her was out of the question because he needed his specimen to be _alive _while experimenting on her heart. What to do what to do…

_**Bang**_

_**Bang**_

_**Bang**_

Vexen perked his ears at the loud and disturbing sound coming from the other side of the lab door. He looked over his shoulder as if expecting the person on the other side to invite themselves in.

"_Vexen," _It calmly asked. _"Open the door."_

The scientist's sudden interest quickly dissipated after hearing the familiarity of the voice speaking to him at the other end. Acting as if bricks were tied to his feet, he slapped down his second scalpel noisily on a metal tray, and practically dragged his feet towards the door.

"What is it _this _time, XI?" Vexen asked bitterly, tiredly sliding his hand down the frame of his face as he pressed his shoulder up against the door.

He could hear Marluxia try the door handle, which he quickly locked, then let out a muffled grunt after his attempt quickly failed.

"What in the name of Kingdom Hearts are you _doing _down here?" He questioned impatiently.

By the tone of his voice, Vexen could tell the neophyte had probably just recently woken up from a deep and comforting slumber. The scientist rolled his eyes.

"You have no business down here, XI. I suggest you leave."

Marluxia frowned and ran a hand through his mauve and curly hair.

"I don't see how I can do that when you are causing such a racket down here. Whatever arguments you are having with your _experiment _are rising through the air ducks and into our rooms."

Vexen scowled and pretended to glare at the nobody standing on the other side of the door.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe you have a nifty pair of earplugs hidden somewhere in that mess of a jungle you call a _room_. I suggest you put them to good use."

"For the last time, it's called a _garden_. And I have yet to own any pair of earplugs whatsoever."

Vexen growled in frustration as he tugged on the sides of his long blonde hair. His gaze had eventually dropped from the white ceiling fan to come to a dead stop on his young specimen, who at this point had perked her head up in curiosity at to what the two men were fighting about. He knew point blank that Marluxia wouldn't leave him alone unless he found some other way to experiment on his test subject. Too bad nothing came to mind at the moment.

"Are you listening, Vexen?" Marluxia snapped, lightly tapping on the door's surface.

"Should you continue to disturb the upper organization, then I'll be sure the Superior will be the first to know of your _insubordination_.

_Tattle-tale_

"…Very well then. I'll keep the noise down to a…minimum." Just admitting the first three words of his sentence made the scientist want to wash his mouth out with acid. That was the only way Marluxia could get him to cooperate with him, by threatening him with the _Superior_.

"Very good, Vexen. I will take my leave now."

And with that the neophyte had turned on his heel with his back to the metal door, and strolled calmly and triumphantly down the eerily silent hallway.

* * *

"If you come near me again, I'll scream."

Vexen buried his face in his hands and let out a long and irritated sigh.

"Be quiet." he muffled tiredly through the shield of his gloves.

It's been a good half an hour since the neophyte had left the basement, his warning still hanging dangerously over the shoulders of the scientist. How many times has he threatened him with the Superior? Eight, nine times? He'd lost count long before. Plus it wasn't any better that the mauve haired man had the habit of referring to him by his rank. He didn't know what was worse, being ranked on by Marluxia, or being disrespected by Sai'x. Both were on equal terms of his hatred towards the higher up members.

"…Why did you kidnap me?" She demanded in a fake serious voice, a hint of fear still coating the sentence which Vexen easily noticed.

He briefly lifted his head out of his hands to glance at the specimen strapped to the table.

"I said, why did you kidnap-

"I heard what you said, fool." He cut in rudely, waving a hand in the air to dismiss the conversation.

The girl wasn't giving up.

"Who are you?"

"Stop asking so many questions."

"I said, _**who are you**_?"

There on his desk sat a non-lethal vile of chemicals that was created to knock out any person of his choosing. All he had to do was shove it in her mouth and she'd be out for at _least _four hours. It seemed easy enough to retrieve, if only his desk wasn't sitting right behind the girl. It was obvious if she heard him coming she would start screaming again, and that only meant Marluxia would report him to the Superior and possibly have him de-ranked. _Or worse_…

"…What difference would it make to you?" He responded sourly, staring suspiciously at the girl through the corner of his eyes.

She wagged her head from side to side as if trying to swing a piece of hair out of her face.

"I don't know…" She shrugged nervously.

"Talking to people makes me feel better."

Vexen raised an eyebrow and straightened his neck as so he could get a good view of the girl.

"Is that so? Then don't waste your time, girl. I'm a scientist, not a councilor."

With that being said Vexen pushed himself off his chair and silently strolled over to his cluttered work desk. The sounds of rustling paper and dropping pencils perked the girl's ears as the scientist uneventfully scribbled something down and crumpled up a piece of paper.

"What are you doing?" She questioned after ten seconds had quickly rolled by. However, she gained no further responses.

Instead, she could hear the man's footsteps shuffle across the room, and flip the switch to something she couldn't see. A loud _vrrroooom _could be heard moaning from the other side of her table, and she could feel a brief but recognizable wave of heat emitting from whatever the scientist had turned on. This struck her nervous button.

"What are you _doing_?" She chattered nervously while tugging at the straps of her bindings.

The sound of slow and steady footsteps quickly left her side and seemed to grow quieter and quieter with each passing second. It was only in a matter of minutes did she hear the loud and creeky door open with a shriek, then finally did it slam with one last _click_.

* * *

Halloween town sat peacefully and silently under the dim rays of the white moon above, casting eerie shadows along the many tombstones and fence picks that stuck out of the graveyards. Ghost and ghouls alike glided along the many rooftops with echoes of creepy laughs and haunting boos while the midnight sky glimmered with the hundreds and thousands of stars that seemed to twinkle if one were to look close enough. It was a spooky yet joyful Halloween night for the young and dead trick-or-treaters. Mummified creatures of all shapes and sizes plagued the streets with loud and disturbing moans as did the vampires and witches following right after. Young children that barely matched the height of the mayor of Halloween town roamed the streets, chasing one another while carelessly tossing chocolate bars in every possible direction.

Yet there sat Jack Skellington, head raised high and arms propped up so his body would stay in an upright position. His hallowed out eye sockets followed the many chattering children that bolted from house to house, and sometimes his gaze would follow that of a disembodied head rolling aimlessly down the streets. He let out a long and miserable sigh.

"Here arrives the oh-so special day of the year, and yet I, the pumpkin king, am having the most dreadful time…"

Zero aroused from a small and unnoticeable tombstone, and swiftly glided over to his master with a loud and sweet bark.

"Hello Zero…" He greeted in a fake happy tone, gently patting the ghost dog's head with his boney fingers.

"Are you having a dreadful time as well?"

Zero cocked his head to one angle and let his tongue slide down the side of his mouth while looking at Jack with curious eyes.

Jack smiled.

"I hope that you aren't."

The small dog panted and licked the underside of his master's hand in a grateful way. Jack ruffled his dog's…_fur _and scratched the underside of it's tiny chin. Then suddenly, without warning, a black and oval-like portal materialized behind Jack's back and engulfed a large chunk of dead grass in it's wake.

Jack frowned and pushed his dog aside as he studied the portal with quiet interest, almost as if waiting for it to sprout wings and fly away. However, he didn't quite expect to see a hooded cloaked figure step out from the darkness, and nearly step on his dog. Zero began to bark in a frenzied manner.

"Hm? And who might you be, stranger?" Jack interrogated suspiciously, tapping his chin and eyeballing the new guest.

The shrouded figure seemed to turn his or her head to stare at Jack, almost like they didn't seem him standing there before. Jack stood there bewildered.

"My apologies, Jack. I didn't see you there." The figure admitted apologetically, waving a hand in the air dismissing the black portal behind him.

Jack perked his head up and suddenly gained a wide and excited grin on his face after recognizing the figure's voice.

"Oh! Why Vexen I didn't recognize you with your hood on! Tell me my friend, what brings you to our humble Halloween town?" He asked excitedly with arms going wildly in different directions.

Vexen grinned under the shelter of his hood and raised a gloved hand as if to silence the moving skeleton.

"I'm here for scientific purposes only. I didn't come to celebrate Halloween this year." He responded impassively, ignoring the fact that Jack was studying the hood that was covering his head.

Almost instantly, Jack made a grab for it.

"Why do you hide your face on such a _glorious _night? It's nothing to be ashamed of I assure you!"

Vexen quickly snatched the material of his headwear and held it firmly in place to keep Jack from pulling it down.

"I look utterly _ridiculous _in this world, Jack. I have no need to reveal what is underneath my hood to strangers.

This of course caused the suddenly peppy skeleton to chuckle in a hysterical way.

"Aw, but it's Halloween! Surely you can spare just a quick look! You've worn that thing over your head for so long I've practically forgotten what you're costume looked like!"

Vexen pulled his hood down tighter and backed away at a safe distance as so he couldn't pull his hood down.

"Where is doctor Finklestein? I'm in need of equipment for an experiment I'm currently working on."

Jack frowned.

"An experiment? Again? What might I ask are you working on this time?"

Like he was _really _going to tell him. _Yeah, I'm working on a human experiment down in my laboratory and I was just wondering if I could barrow an extra scalpel._ He often had to lie about half the things he was really doing in his studies in fear of being locked out of Halloween town. That was where he acquired most of his supplies.

"I'm researching the working of the heart." He answered finally.

"…Again? I thought you were doing that the last time?"

Whoops. Wrong lie.

"Er-uh-yes, but this experiment will take up to several months to finish, and I just so happened to run out of supplies, so if you wouldn't mind-

"Oh, that won't be a problem my old friend! Come this way, doctor Finklestein should be happy to see you!"

* * *

Zexion impatiently knocked on the metal door with the back of his knuckles and scowled at the scientist for keeping him waiting.

"Vexen, are you in there?" He called out solemnly, eyes wandering about the surface of the door.

No answer.

"Vexen, are you asleep?" He called out once more, slightly louder incase the scientist was actually slumbering in the bowels of his laboratory.

Still, no answer.

Zexion frowned and tried the door handle. To be honest with himself, he had expected it to be locked as always because Vexen had made a large habit of locking himself out of his own quarters. But you could only imagine the look on his face once the door had suddenly slid open a crack, allowing the cloaked schemer a brief look inside the empty room.

"…Vexen?"

Proceeding in slow and cautious steps in fear that there might be a cold bucket of water above his head, he hesitantly stepped one foot inside the vacant room and peered around with curious blue eyes. Sure, he pratically lived on the same floor as Vexen and he knew nearly every room, hall, and door in this Castle, but never had he once been inside the private studies of the scientist. To be honest, it was everything he had expected it to look like in his thoughts. There were hundreds of empty test tubes scattered about the room, messy piles of loose leaf paper spilling off countless desks and tables, and of course to complete it all, a big iron table used to strap human specimens to.

"How very strange…" He mumbled, taking yet another step further into the room.

"I wonder why Vexen would leave the door unlocked like-

In that very instant the younger nobody felt something cold and hard come crashing down on the back of his head, and whatever happened next was but a blur to him.

* * *

Vexen gathered a plastic box with many scalpels of different shapes and sizes lined up in a perfect row firmly in his arms. Several vials of unknown chemicals sat comfortably in the bend of his arms as did a cup full of boosters with needles the size of one's finger. The scientist turned on his heel as he felt his hood bob up and down on the flat of his back after Jack had _accidentally _pulled it down while yawning. Doctor Finklestein snarled and waved the scientist off with the flick of his wrist.

"Get out of here you foolish little ingrate. I don't want to have anything to do with you from this point on."

Vexen chuckled in a rather amused tone as the angry scientist shook his small fist at him while moving around in his gas powered wheelchair.

"Come back soon! And that is a rather delightful mask you've got on my friend!"

The wide and mischievous grin quickly fell five inches after remembering his face was exposed to all the public. To bad he couldn't pull it back up without dropping half his supplies.

"Good-_**bye**_, Jack." Vexen hissed over his shoulder in a menacing tone, the response gaining a loud and obnoxious laugh from said skeleton.

_And it's _not _a mask…_

Just within his first five steps, a large and oval shaped portal quickly rose from the ground giving the scientist a perfect entry back into his lab. Just as he did before, he hurriedly glided through the darkness of the circle with the tail of his coat billowing out wildly from behind, leaving nothing but a shard of darkness withering hopelessly in the blackness of the Halloween night.

**At last I am done with this chapter! :D Sorry about the delay, I had a massive case of writers block -_-. Whew! 17 pages of typing and MAN do my hands hurt :/ You don't have to review if you don't want to, I'll continue the next chapter either way ^^**

**Dun dun dun…what's Vexen going to find when he finally returns to his laboratory? What happened to Zexion? Wasn't that girl strapped up nice and tight before Vexen left? Found out in next chapter! **


	3. To Tighten the Shackles

**I'm sorry this took so long to finish everyone! If anyone has any suggestions how to avoid writers block then please feel free to message me!**

* * *

It was only a matter of time before the cloaked schemer was discovered completely motionless within the castle basement. His short, scrawny limbs were sprawled out on either side of him, and the thin line of his lips were parted ever so slightly. A collapsible metal chair was found lying on its side but only a few inches away from the younger nobody's head. The metal door was cracked open ajar, letting in a swift breeze of cool air that blew aside the large chunk of hair covering half of Zexion's face. The single strands of hair tickled at the bridge of his nose, yet he made absolutely no motion to move it away. The only sign that gave away the nobody was truly still living was the tiny breaths of air that he repeatedly inhaled and exhaled through the small parting in his mouth. The room remained unchanged and as silent as he first arrived, yet there was something missing, or rather someone. The slightly elevated table held no prisoner as it's shackles hung unoccupied against the metal surface. Some were torn from the buckles with tiny rips in the seems, and others had slackened due to the stress of immense struggling.

Zexion's eyelids quivered slightly, as did his gloved fingers and his bottom lip.

"…_mrph…auh…" _Was the only sound he could muster, due to his lack of consciousness.

Minutes passed, five maybe ten, before the schemer managed to regain his sense of smell and sight. Soon after he moved his fingers, and clenched them into a firm fist at his side. He tossed his head, eyes still closed, in both directions as if to shake off a massive headache that had suddenly overcame him. In a matter of seconds, he gathered enough strength to open his left eye.

"…_Egh_, where…_am _I?"

Totally oblivious to the immense throbbing of a bruise on his head, he opened the other eye and let out a soft moan.

"Was I…asleep?"

Zexion blinked once, twice, three times before moving his gaze from the tiles of the ceiling to come to focus on an empty wall that stood across from him. He tested his fingers to confirm that they were indeed movable, then searched for the closest object that he could wrap his hand around. It nearly took only a few seconds for his crystal-like eyes to suddenly freeze on something jutting out from the counter above him. Without further thought he pushed himself off the ground and grasped the corner of the solid object above him.

**

* * *

**

Axel frowned bitterly as he poked the tip of his nose somewhat closer to the slowly dissipating flames. He's been squatting for minutes, waiting for his partner to ignite the logs that sat un-charred in the fireplace. His emerald eyes glimmered as they reflected the listless flares that twinkled slightly, then eventually disappearing under the thick blankets of ash.

"Got enough wood in there, Lex?" He spat sarcastically, moving his head over his shoulders and offering the silent hero a wide and toothy grin.

Lexaeus ran his fingers along the many folds and cracks along the firewood as he hoisted them up into the folds of his arms. Turning on his heel he sneered at the pyro, whom by now was sitting at a dangerous two feet away from the fire.

"You may not help. And it would not be wise to be sitting at such a close distance-

"Why?" Axel cut in, finger raised, "It's not like I'll get _burned _or something."

"It's not _you _who will get _burned_, Axel…" He finished bluntly, gathering five more logs into his arms and swiftly striding across the carpeted floor.

Axel scowled and ducked his head in between his knees as the silent hero sent what was left of the firewood sailing over his head into the now empty fireplace. He fumbled in his pocket for something, rattling what sounded like keys against fingers before he successfully pulled out a tiny lighter in between his index fingers. Axel quirked an eyebrow as he moved his head to one angle, studying the device as if he had no idea what it was.

"Are you _serious_? Why use that thing when you have _me_?"

Soon after, the flurry heard what sounded like a barely audible snicker that cut through the silence as Lexaeus felt for the lighter switch.

"Don't fool yourself, you couldn't light a _candle_…" He chuckled.

Axel took this comment rather harshly as he stood up from his spot and threw his arms behind his head, glaring at the smoldering ashes in the fireplace.

"Are you still mad from that time when I set your coat on fire? C'mon man, it's not like I torched your _hair _or something…"

Lexaeus frowned and briefly looked up from the broken lighter in his fingers.

"You can't control yourself, VIII. If I remember correctly, the last time you were aloud access to anything flammable resulted in burning half the pages in Zexion's book…and may I remind you that you also engulfed one of Vexen's flammable experiments causing a highly explosive meltdown in the lab."

"You remembered _that_? Yeesh that was _months _ago…"

The silent hero rolled his eyes and sneered at the pyro hovering several feet away, when suddenly-

**CRASH**

…

…

…

"…The heck-?" Axel mused, removing his arms from behind his neck and staring curiously at the radiant doors where the source of the noise seemed to come from.

Lexaeus ceased his meddling with the unwilling lighter as he carelessly tossed it to a random armchair, then almost immediately following Axel's actions as he too took notice of the echoing noise from where he thought was behind him.

Axel's hair bounced up and down as he fluently glided over the wooden floor to come to an abrupt halt just inches away from the silent hero.

"…Hear that?" He whispered bewildered, shooting his partner a brief look over his shoulder. To which Lexaeus responded with a loud slap to his forehead.

"Of course I did. Where did it come from?" He mumbled, quickly matching the tone of his voice with Axel's.

The flurry quirked an eyebrow and bent his body forwards, squinting at the stationary doors as if waiting for them to move again. As if it wasn't already obvious, they showed absolutely no signs of motion.

"Downstairs." He confirmed, jabbing his index finger at the floor with a short nod.

* * *

Vexen felt the dry darkness air around him dissipate after the blurry form of his basement door came into view. A breeze of welcoming cool air was there to greet him after he fully exited the oval-shaped portal behind him, still cradling the many vials and test tubes in his arms. Halloween town was always one of his least favorite worlds to travel to, mostly due to his indescribable "_mask_" as Jack would call it. _Which it wasn't_. But relief quickly swept over the scientist when he let out a long and stifled sigh, overwhelmingly grateful that he could finally experiment on his specimen without further interruptions…

He swiftly glided towards the door and shifted all the supplies in his one arm as he stuffed his free hand inside his pocket to feel around for the metallic key. But nothing could have prepared him for what was about to happen next…

…

**CRASH, BANG, CLATTER, CLATTER **

…

Vexen felt his entire body freeze over, his hand still stuck tight in his pocket with the ends of the key wedged in between his fingers. He didn't move, he didn't breath, he didn't even bother to look up for he knew the door must've been opened somehow. That room was utterly soundproof from the outside, no sound of any sorts could've been heard from the room whether it be the clanging of chemical bottles together, or the screams of his test subjects escalating to ear shattering screeches of bloody murder. He _locked _that door, so why was it open?

"What in the name of-

He snatched the handle of his door and pressed his body up against it, forcing it open with a loud and obnoxious _screeeeeech_. The scientist practically barged his way inside, careful not to damage the fragile glass ornaments in his arms, and slammed the door against the wall in a rather undignified fashion, however what he saw next nearly sent him sailing through the roof.

There, in the middle of the room covered in multiple toxic chemicals, sat none other than the cloaked schemer himself. Only now, he didn't look quite like _himself _anymore…his periwinkle locks were flattened across his nose and cheeks, his black coat was dripping with the acidic chemicals which he had so often left on the counter, and he had a rather large egg-shaped bump on the side of his head. The look on his face was nothing short of a child caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

_**Now **_Vexen dropped his supplies.

* * *

"I believe you hit your head on something, Zexion…" Lexaeus rendered from across the room, reaching for a large pack of ice that sat in a large pile of frost in the back of the freezer.

The silent hero's scuffling footsteps seemed to be the only source of noise in the room other than the loud and obnoxious breathing patterns of Axel, whom by now was leaning innocently against the white marble wall, eyes closed. However the flurry wasn't the only one accompanying both men at the moment; soon after Zexion was discovered, Marluxia had taken it upon himself to descend down into the basement quarters to identify the source of the extensive crashes and bangs. Though only in his robe, he still gave off the impression that he was just about ready to end a certain scientist's existence for disrupting his sleep.

Zexion abruptly snatched the cold pack of ice from his colleague and slapped it on the bump of his head without further thought. The schemer's eyelids seem to flutter slightly as the familiar wave of pain overcame his small body.

"To be completely honest, I'd believe anything any of you would tell me." The schemer admitted hesitantly.

"I can't remember anything that occurred before I awoke this morning. I feel pitiful, to say the least…"

With the room being as quiet as it was, Axel's snickering fit was easily overheard by the three other members who redirected their attention from Zexion to the man leaning up against the wall.

Zexion seemed to let out a brief yet irritated sigh as he removed the heavy pack of ice from the side of his head, looking over the bridge of his shoulder at the chuckling pyro in the corner.

"Something _amusing_, Axel?" He mused suspiciously, covering the surface of his lips with the side of his hand to hide the frown underneath.

Axel crossed his arms over his chest while pushing himself off the wall, smiling rather hysterically as he did.

"Say, Marluxia," He started plainly, turning to the absentminded mauve haired man standing besides him. "From what I understand, Vexen's little experiment just attacked young Zexy here, right?"

The graceful assassin reluctantly met the pyro's gaze as he turned his head to come at an uncomfortable distance away from Axel's face.

"Yes…" He mouthed back, averting his eyes from the look Axel was currently offering him.

"So then that would make Vexen technically responsible for what happened to him. And if I got things right, then wouldn't that give you the authority to nail him for that?"

The room fell silent.

Zexion fought back the urge to slap the pyro upside the head for reminding the neophyte of said thought. Of course it gave Marluxia the privilege to report Vexen, but only the graceful assassin could pluck up enough courage (Discluding Sai'x) to march straight up to the superior in all his blossomy glory to rat out a fellow member. To counter this urge, he gave him a mental slap instead.

"Indeed it does, Axel." Marluxia confirmed with a brief nod. "I will consider it in the morning, if not sooner…"

'_In the morning? Why not just do it _now_!'_

"Why wait till then, twinkle toes?" Axel snorted while plopping himself down on a table, inches away from Zexion; to which the schemer responded by scooting several centimeters away from said pyro.

Marluxia stroked the underside of his chin somewhat absentmindedly, ignoring the ludicrous nickname the flurry had just so kindly given him while absorbing Axel's persistent question with much disinterest.

"As if you couldn't already tell, I'm clearly not decent to make an appearance to the superior." He stated obviously, referring to the suntanned robe he was currently securing to hide any parts of exposed skin. "There's also the simple fact that the superior is stationed at the world that never was, and I am in no mood to make such a travel so early in the morning…"

Of course by now Zexion was mustering all of his ability not to burst out in a hysterical laughing fit after taking a quick peek at Axel's…_interesting _facial expression. For one thing it would throw off his personality quite a bit. And for somebody with such a high reputation of being calm and collected, such as himself, something as simple as a brief chuckle just might end all life as we know it. It was at times like these that he was thankful for Marluxia's unwillingness to do something so…tempting.

To everyone's surprise, Axel nodded his head in agreement.

"Got me there, twinkle toes. Course I don't think _anyone _would want to see you burst through the door in bright and dazzling colors with a fluttering pink robe."

The flurry barely had any time to slip off the counter to avoid an _accidental _swipe from the graceful assassin's pink scythe. One hit was all it took to get the red head to shut his mouth for the rest of the morning.

"You had better watch what you say in the future, flurry." Marluxia warned, dismissing his scythe. "You never know when it just might cost you your rank."

At this point everyone knew that being de-ranked was possibly one of the worst fates that Xemnas could possibly offer at this time. The last thing Axel needed was to have somebody like _Demyx _as his superior…it was rather fun pulling rank on his though, because that sucker would fall for practically anything.

Zexion coughed into his fist to diminish the all known awkward silence engulfing the room.

"I understand that watching Axel and Marluxia argue over pointless matters can be somewhat…_entertaining_, but I have just recently caught the scent of Vexen approaching the kitchen…"

With the flurry's and assassin's argument currently ignored, all four nobodies twisted their heads in the direction of the slide-open door where the schemer claimed Vexen would soon be entering. Just as expected, a swirling black vortex protruded from the floor, and out walked the irritated scientist with his elusive specimen literally in _hand_.

"I hadn't expected her to get so far," Vexen announced, unfazed by the continuous kicking and screaming his experiment was currently providing. "Yet I found her wandering about upstairs in the common area. Quite impressive for a girl who can not see, yes?"

Vexen gave the girl a sharp shove to her back which sent her flailing in all directions. It didn't take long for her to meet the ground after Axel had rudely stuck his foot out and tripped the defenseless girl. Her body fell with a light _thump _as she landed flat on her elbows and stomach. This, of course, earned the flurry a very deep and disapproving frown from the chemist.

"Was that necessary, Axel?" He questioned, folding his arms across his chest as he glided across the marble floors to retrieve his fallen specimen, whom by now had taken it upon herself to cling onto anything that touched her.

Axel's only and typical response was a 'who, me?' look that only succeeded in making Vexen strode over to him to slap him upside the head. However before he could proceed with his assault on the pyro, Marluxia let out an exasperated sigh to cease the fight brewing in the kitchen.

"Vexen, are you aware that the consequences of your actions are to be severe?"

Vexen responded by shooting Axel a warning glare, then finally focused all his attention on his least favorite nobody…standing in a brightly colored robe in the middle of the kitchen. Heaven forbid that the chemist only snicker in his direction.

"Quite interesting display, Marluxia." Vexen fake complimented. "I must say it suits you nicely."

As if the graceful assassin wasn't already irked by his previous battle with Axel, the chemist's snicker certainly did the trick if nothing else.

"I will be sure to report your little accident to the Superior, Vexen. I find no other punishment suitable enough for you other than what is given to you by our leader."

Everyone knew that Vexen feared nothing more than threats of being turned over to the superior. He's gotten several warnings of being de-ranked before, courtesy of Sai'x, but he knew if Xemnas caught his slipping up for the umpteenth time he'd surely be turned into a dusk as punishment. And with as far as he has gotten into his research, that was the _last _thing he needed.

"No, please don't that. I've come too far in my research for anything to happen to me now! I am positive that I will be turned into a dusk if nothing else! Please, don't!"

"I obviously have no other choice in the matter. I've already given you a warning, Vexen."

"I am doing my best, Marluxia! This is a live girl I have in the basement, surely you cannot expect for her to cooperate so easily! It's not as simple just to keep her under control, I assure you I will keep an eye on her from now on!"

The pleading look never left the scientist eyes as he practically begged on hands and knees to keep his non-life in existence. Well technically he didn't exist _completely_, but he still technically _was_. So therefore to keep that non-life he had to degrade himself in such a manner that would scarcely convince the assassin to let him be.

Zexion watched all of this through the corner of his eyes as he peered at his colleague humiliating himself in such a degree as begging for somebody like Marluxia to spare him. It was somewhat painful to watch somebody of his kind acting in such an uncharacteristic manner. He knew

Vexen rather fondly, and he knew all too well just how far he would go just to keep his non-existence. So to avoid the scientist losing what was left of his shame, (or lack thereof) he spoke up in a most dignified manner.

"If I may cut in," He interrupted thoughtfully, "To avoid endangering Vexen's…_non-life_, perhaps you two could make a deal?…"

'_Suck up.' _Axel thought bitterly while chewing on the tip of his thumb. _'Always wanting to take the easy way out.'_

The graceful assassin rolled his eyes as he quickly tied the loosening knot around his waist as so the robe wouldn't suddenly part, exposing him to the public. His mauve haired bounced up and down against his back as he strode over to the injured nobody sitting innocently next to Axel.

"And what, might I ask, kind of deal do you have in mind, Zexion?" A slight tint of curiosity seemed to coat his voice as he spoke out, giving Zexion a slight upper hand.

'_Vexen, you owe me dearly for this'_

"Correct if I'm wrong, but I do believe the superior put you in charge of this castle, correct?"

Marluxia nodded.

"Then that would technically put you in responsibility for Vexen's actions, since you just admitted that you are in charge. Therefore that would give us the authority to report you for being unable to keep this castle in order."

Leave it to Zexion to leave Marluxia speechless. Though this mess was technically the fault of Vexen, they could still nail the graceful assassin for not being able to keep the castle under control. Pointing out things like these were nothing but childs play for the cloaked schemer, and he thoroughly enjoyed doing it.

"By all means feel free to report Vexen to the superior. But don't be surprised when one of us takes it upon ourselves to report you as well, o _lord of the castle_." The last bit of the schemer's sentence was made to mock the said nobody, who was currently debating in his mind whether ratting out Vexen was really such a great idea. He valued nothing more than his position in the castle, and he dare not jeopardize it by reporting something so insignificant to his leader.

Marluxia let out a long and agitated sigh, placing his hands on the curves of his hips.

"So be it then. I will let Vexen be for the time being."

The graceful assassin spun on the heel of his foot and made for the door as if admitting defeat to the younger nobody. But he stopped suddenly with his hand on the handle.

"But I will give him one last chance. Should he do so much as even tempt my patience, the superior will be notified, am I clear?"

"Crystal." Axel shouted from across the room. Which in return earned him a cold stare from the graceful assassin.

Within the minute, Marluxia had bid them farewell and marched out the door with a flick of his wrist as if to dismiss the small group behind him. Axel waited for the door to close completely and for the echoing patterns of the assassin's boots against the hard tiled floor to finally dissipate before he finally spoke out in his annoying cocky voice.

"Did anyone else notice the room smelled like cherry blossoms? Or is it just me?"

* * *

The following morning was nothing to special. Vexen succeeded in this time _freezing _his specimen to the table, seeing as she somehow managed to permanently damage the straps attached to it. And Zexion reported back to the world that never was to gather a truck load of books he left piled up on the dinning table. As always, Xemnas was kept out of the last nights matters as he and Marluxia had agreed on.

Of course Axel had found nothing of particular interest left to do in the castle, so he decided to tail Zexion back to the world that never was in hopes of irritating somebody worth talking to.

* * *

"You didn't have to freeze me to the table…" She grumbled thoughtlessly while attempting to wrestle her limbs free, but to no avail.

Vexen ignored the unwanted comments being hurled at him by his specimen and pulled up his sleeve to glance at the watch underneath.

'_Seven twenty nine…' _He thought bitterly._ 'Has it really been that long?'_

Not that the time of day particularly _surprised _him, it was just that he hadn't expected for the procedure to take as long as it did. He has had this girl in Castle Oblivious for approximately five hours straight and what exactly has she done?

1) Kicked him in the face

2) Damaged his scalpel

3) Whacked Zexion over the head with a chair

4) Somehow managed to break out of a room that was locked (which he soon figured out that he did indeed lock the door, just didn't close it)

5) Nearly cost him his existence…_twice_

6) Gained Marluxia as her number one enemy

Although he had to admit, it could've been worse. He might've just brought her over to the world that never was, and instead of sending Marluxia into a foul mood, she might've just met face to face with _Sai'x_.

"…_Vexen_…?" Her voice suddenly rang out, snapping the scientist out of his thoughts.

"What is it-"

Do his ears deceive him? Did she really just say his name? Impossible, he never told her, nor has it ever been mentioned by him.

"Did you just…say my _name_?"

"…Is that your name? I heard that other man say it while you two were arguing over something…"

'_Marluxia, what a surprise.' _

"Indeed it is." He confirmed with a loud snap. "Refrain from using it, I will not degrade myself by allowing a lowly specimen utter my name."

"I'm still human." She corrected with her voice now clear of any signs of fear. "And so are you."

If she hadn't been frozen to that lab table right there an then, she would've assumed that that cackle had come from an elderly lady. Of course she didn't dare say that out loud, she was at the mercy of her kidnapper whom she couldn't _see _one bit.

"_Human_, you say? How amusing, you cannot see me because you are sight impaired and you automatically assume that I am _human_? Ha!"

The girl shuddered against the cold surface of the metal table as she bared the force of the scientist's words.

"If you're not human, then what are you?"

"Half of a human." He responded quickly. "I am nothing more than a nobody whom doesn't exist, yet I still _am _as the body of my former other."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"That doesn't make sense…"

"You speak nonsense, it makes perfect sense!" Vexen exclaimed, bringing a palm to his forehead.

His words echoed throughout the empty lab as he stood firmly within a two feet distance from the girl. Within a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak.

"But I'm human. And humans have names. My name isn't _you_, or _wench_, or _it_, or _specimen_, or _experiment_."

Vexen rolled his eyes and made his way over to a desk that was cluttered with unorganized stacks of paper and unsharpened pencils, which he carelessly brushed aside as he searched for a plain piece of paper.

"Don't waste your time, girl. You'll only be acting out of desperation which will soon result in insecurity, and I can not have a lunatic specimen shackled down in my laboratory."

She frowned deeply at his sudden retort, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

Before Vexen had the chance to locate and snatch a piece of plain white paper, he was distracted by the girl quickly opening her mouth once more.

"_Rem_." She muttered silently under the continuous noise of shuffling papers and the ringing of glass beakers knocking against one another.

* * *

**My sincerest apologies for those of you who were waiting so long for this chapter. Writers block is indeed, the most devious thing known to authors. Funny thing is that I took my laptop to my grandparents house and kept it plugged in for seven hours straight, and I only managed to get just one paragraph down :D From now on I'm gonna try and update as fast as possible, alright? **


	4. Interupted

Two days had long passed since Vexen had apprehended his bothersome specimen, which was safe to say wasn't exceptionally _fond _of him. Either it was the unexpected kidnapping she had been forced to go under, or the fact that her limbs were currently frozen solid to the iron table to prevent her from ever eluding her captor again. If Rem didn't know any better, she would've thought Vexen was treating her rather..._ungentlemen_-_like _for lack of use of a better word. Then again, she was supposedly his hostage, so it only made sense that the kidnapper would only treat her as such to avoid acting like a normal human being.

But was Vexen really human?

"Stop your squirming you impudent _girl_!" The irritant chemist bellowed after snatching up the flailing wrist of his specimen and promptly shoving an abnormally large sized needle in a protruding vein plainly visible in her pale skin.

Rem subsequently screeched at the feeling of the round, pointed end of the booster invading the soft and tender areas of her flesh. It felt like nothing of that of a simple flu shot, or the occasionally booster you get when you first start your four years in high school, but this felt like nothing she had ever experienced. The pain was far surpassing that of a simple needle.

Rem quivered, and finally slumped.

"It's about time…" Vexen muttered as he effortlessly injected what was left of the green juice within the girl's limp arm. It was completely harmless, if he did say so himself. The serum was nothing more than a simple knock-out treatment that was only to be used whenever he was observing a lesser nobody. And then there was the occasional disturbances that he had weekly undergone by a certain pyro whom had found it amusing to randomly pop in on the scientist when working ironically on a _flammable _experiment. That was another time where he rarely had to use his non-lethal dose of serum…complaints from the superiors and lower class neophytes of VIII being absent from half his missions convinced him otherwise.

"Was knocking her unconscious necessary for the transportation?" Lexaeus whispered, almost as if in paranoia of abruptly waking the dozing female besides him.

Vexen quirked an eyebrow as he fluently glided across the floor to retrieve a stack of paperwork he had received as payment for bringing a life specimen into the organization. Of _course _it was necessary. He didn't want to be seen dragging a reluctant female throughout the castle that never was, that would only bring further attention to himself, and he really didn't need that.

"Of _course _it is, Lexaeus." Vexen seethed. "She would be screaming for hours on end if I hadn't."

A predictable answer from the chilly academic himself. Though it vaguely puzzled Lexaeus as to why he had the forceful habit of knocking all his specimens out whenever he felt compelled to transport them to the world that never was. It lacked in creativity, if nothing else.

"If it wasn't already obvious, I am forced to take drastic measures in a situation like this. I cannot experiment on my specimen without upsetting Marluxia in the process. Therefore I will move her to my laboratory in the world that never was; all neophytes know that Marluxia is strictly forbidden to leave castle oblivion."

As he spoke, Vexen raised a trembling hand over the rock solid ice and quickly diminished the girl in her frozen prison. As gracefully as a scientist at his age could do, he slid his fingers under the sleeping girl's unmoving form and gently lifted her from the wet, iron table.

"You have my most sincere apologies, Lexaeus. But I will return shortly, my duties are primarily to assist at castle oblivion."

--

Zexion's unobserved scowl was hidden deep within the barrier of his book as he gracefully flipped from page to page as an attempt to block out the neophyte sitting just inches besides him.

Axel sat diligently over the arm of his reclining chair with his elbows propped so he could stick his face into the personal space range of the schemer before him. To worsen things, he made sure to breath as obnoxiously as possible in the younger man's face.

Zexion wrinkled his nose as he inhaled the god-awful stench of the flurry's afternoon lunch, which to his misfortune happened to be something with a strong sense of garlic.

"_Flurry_," Zexion sneered with great displeasure. "I cannot concentrate with you breathing in my face."

"What, you don't like pizza?" Axel joked after sucking in a good amount of air and blowing it into the schemer's face. Zexion did what he could to avoid gagging up his breakfast.

'_Is _that _what he ate?'_

"You're _vile_." Zexion cringed. "If you have nothing better to do, then go off and irritate your colleagues."

'_Colleagues_?' Axel snickered. '_You _are _my colleague_.'

"Sorry emo-boy, no can do."

Axel's face was abruptly met with the cover of Zexion's lexicon, subsequently sending him sprawling off his chair and landing smack dab on his rear.

"Do _not _call me **emo**." Zexion warned which only succeeded to further engage the red head in a fight.

Though Axel wanted nothing more than to piss off his fellow neophyte, he couldn't bring himself to come up with any other good comebacks that might've succeeded in pushing the bookworm out of line. The only thing that came to mind at that point was calling him emo again, but he'd rather keep his flawless face clear of any book cover imprints thanks to Zexion's expert throws.

Axel threw his arms up in a surrendering manner.

"Okay, okay. You win _shorty_. I'll beat it."

With that being said, Axel jumped to his feet and made for the door, but only to be stopped by the cloaked schemer teleporting in front of him and unswervingly snatching the handle.

"Wha-Hey I said I was gonna leave-!

**Fwak**

--

Xigbar warped unwearyingly into the scientist's laboratory in hopes of finding some brief entertainment (all thanks to his death-defying missions his mood has been somewhat deprived what it used to be) Though it already occurred to him that Vexen was still at Castle Oblivion with the other neophytes, so that only served, if possible, to put him into an even _more _sour mood.

"Are you kidding me? Even _Frankenstein's _gone today?"

The scowl that instantly spread across the Freeshooter's face could've been identified as being related to either Zexion or Sai'x. The castle that never was had long since broken the 10 on the boredom scale when being rated by Xigbar, there was rarely anything to do when half the members were either out messing around in the other worlds, or drinking themselves silly in a _'Who could drink the most rum' _contest. Courtesy of Luxord, of course. The only thing that really entertained him during times like these was bothering the scientist down in his personal lab, which he could easily warp into whenever he saw fit. However Vexen was gone today, as he was last night ever since their little episode at dinner time.

"_Xigbar, get off my ceiling at once!" _Sneered a highly recognizable voice that practically sent Xigbar tumbling to the floor if not for his control over gravity.

The Freeshooter moved his head over his shoulder just in time to see a swirling black vortex protrude from the floor letting in a severely irked scientist with specimen in hand. Well more like in his _arms _but that's besides the point…

"Dude, how 'bout a warning next time!" Xigbar shuddered instinctively, meeting the willow eyes of the older man below him whom offered him a glare in return.

"I don't recall giving you permission to enter my lab, _Braig_." Vexen seethed while allowing his eyes to dart around his laboratory in search for a table he could lay his specimen on. "And I would appreciate it if you would obey the laws of physics when in my personal quarters. They exist for a reason, mind you."

Now it was Vexen's turn to jolt. In a matter of seconds Xigbar teleported from his gravity defying seat on the ceiling only to come within inches inside the chemist's personal space bubble. A wide and mischievous smile spread across the Freeshooter's face as he studied the blank expression etched onto Vexen's face.

"Not even a flinch, huh? Man you're getting pretty boring…" The older man chuckled, twirling the tip of his pony tail around his index finger in a bored-like fashion.

Vexen frowned and side-stepped Xigbar. "Silence."

"…"

"…"

"…Dude…what're you carrying?" The Freeshooter murmured suspiciously, making a grab for the scientist's shoulder, which Vexen easily dodged.

"Nothing worth explaining to you." He answered quickly. His actions, however, only succeeded in perking the Freeshooter's interest further.

Xigbar double-took. "…Is that a…_girl_?"

"My _specimen_." Vexen quickly corrected. "She is my specimen for research I am conducting. Now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to work in peace-

"Hey, you do know I'm _your _superior. So technically I don't have to leave if I don't want to…"

Vexen scowled.

"_Technically_, you do. Lest you forget this is _my _laboratory."

Xigbar slapped his hands on the curves of his hips and drew his head back to let out a loud and obnoxious yawn.

"Look, I don't mean to offend you or anything, but our leader's got the whole castle running around and doing missions here and there. So that just leaves you 'n me buddy…"

During his little explanation, Xigbar had draped an arm around the scientist's shoulders and absentmindedly dragged him back a few steps. If it wasn't for the unconscious girl currently slumbering in his arms, he would've subsequently frozen Xigbar's feet to the ground and simply walked off without him.

'_Curse this…'_

"Release me now, Braig." Vexen sneered under the firm grasp the Freeshooter had around his throat. "Or so help me I will combine your feet to the floor…"

"Oooo, looks like somebody's got their briefs in a knot!" Xigbar teased, which only served to mildly provoke the irritated scientist.

"**At once."**

"Awright, _awright_! Yeesh…"

Xigbar reluctantly drew back his arm and returned it to his side while mumbling something too indistinguishable for the scientist to hear. His one useful eye darted from both him and back to his experiment while trying to decipher what exactly he was planning on doing to her, or for that matter _with _her.

"So you 'n her-

"**No**."

Xigbar returned a fake-hurt expression while pressing his palm to the area where his heart might have been.

"Ouch. Way to shut somebody down." He mumbled impassively, moving his head from side to side. "Kay, guess I'll beat it if that's what you're waiting for…"

Xigbar thrust his arm outwards, quickly conjuring up a swirling black portal that stood nearly two times his own height. A low rumbling sound could be heard emitting from the tiny swirls of darkness that unwillingly separated from the sides of the oval-shaped portal. Xigbar grinned and waved at the chemist in an obnoxious fashion.

"You two be good now!" He called out jokingly, hastily disappearing within the blackness of the vortex before Vexen had the chance to retaliate with one of his well thought out comebacks.

With Xigbar being forcibly kicked out of his room, the laboratory lay as desolate and silent as he had last left it.

Finally.

"Respect is all I ask for, is that so hard to comprehend?" Vexen mumbled to himself while gently lying his specimen down onto a newly polished table he had recently acquired from one of his missions in Halloween town.

'_Perhaps now I may examine her without any further interruptions…'_

Vexen looked around and dragged a small stool besides his dozing specimen. He quickly outstretched a hand and entwined his fingers around her limp, skinny wrist.

'_Hmm…she seems healthy…no signs of any mental illnesses that are physically visible, discluding the fact that she is blind…her skin seems slightly pale, however that it probably in response to being frozen to a table…'_

Vexen abruptly snatched a random pencil rolling down his desk and began jotting down notes of his specimen's physical features.

'_Breathing patterns are normal…no signs of any sicknesses whatsoever…Hm, she seems very healthy for a girl who has lived in the outskirts of Hollow Bastion…"_

Rem's eyelid quivered slightly.

'_A few bruises on her legs and wrists, however I believe that is from struggling against the straps holding her down at castle oblivion…oh, it seems she also has a bruise on her forehead. Perhaps that is from running into so many walls…'_

Her leg twitched, followed by her fingers then lips.

'_It's truly a wonder how this girl managed on her own for so long. Perhaps she has had help from another? Or maybe she-_

Now wearingly conscious and suddenly snapped wide awake, Rem's quivering arm shot at an upwards angle and entwined her fingers around the first thing that brushed up against her palm.

Vexen's hair.

"Wha-where am I? What's going on-who _are _you?!"

In her currently panicked state the only thing she thought to do was to grab onto the scientist's hair with a much greater force and pull it towards her body. In return Vexen coughed out a surprised yelp as his head was forcibly jerked forwards in a painful fashion.

"Erk-foolish girl, _release _me!" He barked before attempting to pry the girl's fingers loose of his dirty blonde locks.

She wouldn't let go.

"What-what-wha-!…oh, are you…_Vexen_?" Rem suddenly mouthed after the scientist's familiar voice drifted past her eardrums. It was hard to mistake it for anything else, such a cold and scratchy voice could only belong to one person in this place.

Vexen cringed as he eventually removed his specimen's fingers away from his hair, which resulted in Rem accidentally ripping a few strands from the academic's head. She refused to uncurl her fingers, but Vexen persistently pried at the girl's hand until she subconsciously loosened her grip and plopped her arm down at her side.

Vexen frowned.

"I've already warned you not to refer to me by my name. It is-

"Where am I?!" She suddenly screeched, quickly coming up with the realization that she was no longer frozen to that hard and lumpy table back in the lab. That last thing she scarcely remembered was being subjected to an abnormally painful booster that possible knocked her unconscious.

"What did you do to me?-Why am I here…Where _is _here?"

'_If possible, she could rival Demyx's ability to ask a number of questions…'_

"Vexen-!"

"Stop that!" He sneered. "Do not say my name!"

"Why don't you answer any of my questions?"

"Because you ask too many!"

"…_Good morning, Vexen." _A small voice called out casually from within the empty doorway. "I didn't expect you to return to the castle that never was."

If there was ever a time to see Vexen in one of his '_moments_', now would be one of those times for the sudden voice nearly sent the unexpected scientist skyrocketing from the spot. If he had a heart it would undoubtedly be hammering away in his chest by now.

"_Zexion_," Vexen started, smacking his palm over his chest. "Do not sneak up on me like that. I do not appreciate you welcoming yourself into my personal quarters without a-

"My apologies, Vexen. However the superior wants to have a word with you, that is the only reason I'm here."

"…"

"…"

"…The _Superior_?" Vexen slowly repeated. "But why-what have I done wrong?"

The room quickly fell silent for what seemed like hours but in reality only two minutes as Vexen's breathing patterns quickened with every passing second. Zexion blew a strand of periwinkle hair from his face and offered the scientist a long and strange look that not even _he _could read.

"Something the matter…?" He breathed out finally to diminish the awkward silence that seemed to have a habit of following the scientist around.

'_Oh-no, how am I going to report to him with my specimen alone in the basement?…I suppose I could get somebody to watch her-but who?'_

"Vexen-"

'_I couldn't ask Zexion for help, he was just recently attacked by my specimen, it would be asking too much…'_

"Are you listening to me?"

'_Xigbar had just finished telling me half the entire organization is out on missions today, so that would leave just me, him, Zexion, and possibly Axel who followed us here. Kingdom Hearts are those really my choices?'_

"Vexen!"

'_I cannot just simply leave her here, the last time she was strapped to a table, and she even managed to struggle free of that. She's not even strapped down to _anything _this time, I could scarcely imagine what she could possibly get herself into…'_

"_**Vexen**_!" Zexion growled while childishly taking hold of Vexen's shoulders and shaking him from side to side. If it wasn't for the schemer's undying persistence, Vexen just might've succeeded in completely losing himself in his own thoughts.

"-Oh, my apologies, Zexion. I will take my leave now." He responded quickly while spinning around and taking hold of his specimen's wrist, jerking her off the table causing her to land unsteadily to her feet.

"Where are we going-_let go_!" She screamed, digging her heels into the floor and leaning backwards to prevent her captor from taking her anywhere. Of course this only succeeded in sending the scientist into a similar mood Xigbar had previously put him in.

"Stop your squirming." Vexen growled. "I cannot trust you alone."

Vexen threw out his arm and quickly conjured a black vortex that would safely transport him and the girl directly to Xemnas' office, however he knew it wouldn't be easy seeing as his specimen was reluctant to leave her _comfortable _table.

--

Xemnas moved his head back and forth, examining the two underlings before him, slightly puzzled as to why Vexen had chosen to drag his experiment with him instead of leaving it in the laboratory. However he quickly dismissed the strange thought and offered the scientist a small but brief grin to gain his attention.

"I understand you are in the middle of your research," Xemnas started, clicking his fingers against the table. "However it is important for you to report to Wonderland for a mission. I do not believe it will take away any time with your experiment, correct?"

If Vexen was in Halloween town at that very moment, he would've heard a soft _click _of his disembodied jaw hitting the ground in response to his leader's command. How could he send him on a mission when he is clearly in the middle of his research? What does he expect him to do, leave her here alone?

"Uh, _Superior_…" Vexen addressed with his best voice in mild discomfort, looking at both him and his specimen while trying to gather up an idea. "I'm afraid I cannot just leave her alone in the castle. You see she is very…_unpredictable _when by herself."

Vexen went on to say, "I'm afraid I must decline…"

If Xemnas was offended by his underling giving him such a response in return for his mission, he didn't show it. Instead he folded his arms over his chest and dipped his head just slightly so a few strands of silver hair fell into his abnormally colored orange eyes.

Vexen awaited his response, praying to kingdom hearts is was a good one.

"…Vexen,"

"Yes?"

_Please, please please please…_

"…"

"…"

"If your specimen is as unpredictable as you say, then why not have one of our own keep watch of her while you are away?"

_Curse him._

"That's impossible, I'm afraid. Our choices lie with both the Freeshooter and Flurry. As you have already noticed I am not very fond of either of them…"

To his relief, the tan skinned man seemed to have an understanding of the disapproval of having either of the men baby sit a simple female. He slowly nodded in response, he honestly found nothing absolutely trustworthy about the older men anyway.

"Very well then." Xemnas agreed. "Then why not have Zexion do it? I trust he made it back some time ago."

_Curse him!_

"I cannot do that either!" He blurted out absentmindedly

The silver haired man tilted his head to one side, repeating his actions when both underlings had first arrived in his office.

"Oh?" Xemnas mused. "And why not?"

"Because-" Vexen struggled to come up with a good excuse, discluding the fact that his specimen whacked him over the head with a collapsible chair back at castle oblivion. If he told him _that _then he'd surely receive some sort of immense punishment for failing to keep track of his own experiment.

"-Because he is already looking after a second experiment I have been conducting in the basement. Surely I cannot ask him to watch both!"

"I see…" Xemnas nodded again, contemplating the fact that one of his own was conjuring up a number of excuses that would've been identified as being similar to the melodious nocturne. To be honest with himself, Vexen was the last person he'd expect to decline a simple mission that would take him only but a couple of hours. Perhaps it couldn't be helped…

"Very well then, Vexen." Xemnas confirmed while pushing himself off his chair to gaze at the scientist.

'_Finally I may return to my research…'_

The tan skinned man rounded the corner of his desk and effortlessly flicked a few strands of silver hair away from his cheeks.

"If she is of that much importance," He sighed before shifting his gaze to the reluctant female standing sourly next to her captor.

"Then you will take her with you."

--

**Bam! Didn't see that coming did you? :D My sis was convinced Xemy was gonna look after her, gotta keep people in character here! *well at least I hope I did* Next chapter, Vexen is forced to take Rem to Wonderland! What could possibly happen when you mix a mad scientist with a blind girl? R&R please!**


	5. Off With His Head

If anyone knew Vexen and his non-existent feelings towards the mind-puzzling world of Wonderland, they would undoubtedly come up with the conclusion-

Strike him dead as quickly as possible.

He need only remind someone that he despised nothing more (other than Marluxia) than that mind-boggling world that not even their _Superior_ would willingly step into. Whether it be the shimmering flowers that seemed to dazzle the gloomy forest (or overgrown grass), or the indistinguishable violet plants that occasionally leaked some sort of lethal/deadly poison from it's petals. Zexion, however, found it rather amusing since he himself could easily smell the poison emitting from the hazardous plant, yet not so much could be said from a certain scientist whom had experienced it's devastating horrors first hand. He need only to lean himself against it's vine-like structure only to be subsequently overwhelmed by an unbearable itch that seemed to spread throughout his entire body as some form of hideous rash. Ever since that dreadful day he's deprived himself any missions that involved him returning there, so instead he would simply order one of the lesser nobodies to complete the task without question.

Vexen fluently stepped out of the oval-shaped portal as his paranoid eyes darted in every direction as if expecting to catch the offending plant lurking somewhere nearby. Rem practically staggered out after him.

"_Oh_!" Was her response after groping for anything solid after feeling herself leave the mysteriously chilly air. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, her fingers once again found the stringy blonde locks of the taller man standing just inches in front of her. Only this time she wasn't lying down, so to prevent herself from stumbling to the ground she clamped her hands around scientist's lusterless hair as if she were dangling for dear life from the top of the worlds tallest skyscraper. Vexen eyes widened to the size of saucers as he felt his head being jerked back at an awkward angle.

"-_Erk_! _Stop _that!" He hissed through clenched teeth immediately after throwing his arms behind him and slapping the girl's hands away from his poorly abused hair. It would hardly surprise him if she eventually succeeded in actually ripping a good chunk of it out of his head.

"_Stop that_?" She repeated. "I tripped, I didn't mean to."

"Yet you did." Vexen snapped back. "I won't tolerate a repeat, am I clear?"

If Rem wasn't dumbstruck by her new environment before, then this time it certainly did. The only familiar thing that she could feel was the grainy feeling of sand or dirt shifting beneath her bare feet. There was absolutely nothing for her to grab onto, or anything for her put her body up against.

Vexen blinked a few times after watching his specimen reach out with little effort for anything solid to wrap her bony fingers around and to steady herself up against it. It seemed as if a light bulb went off in the scientist's head after it dawned on him that his specimen was unable to see anything.

"Ah yes, right right…" He mumbled as he reached out to grab the girl's wandering arm and quickly pulling her towards him. "You're blind, I wonder how that little detail could've escaped my mind…"

* * *

Roxas counted off the number of chores he and his trouble-making partner had to accomplish for the day, double taking at the list numerous times before eventually confirming he'd written the list properly on his forearm. His crystal blue eyes darted from his arm to the hood that was currently shielding the pyro's face from the outside world.

"We're alone, Axel. You can take it off now…" Roxas sighed after irritably scanning the obviously desolate Arabian desert for the ninth time in row.

Axel retorted with a low grunt and nudged the blonde boy with the tip of his elbow, not taking his fingers off the security of his hood.

"You don't know that for sure." He said. "That fat parrot and skinny old man sure gotta kick out of seeing me, _that's _for sure…"

"Oh you're _overreacting_! It's not noticeable from ten feet away you know."

Roxas felt his left shoulder lurch forwards after Axel had nudged him for the second time.

"Are not. You'd probably do the same if you were in my shoes y'know…"

"Give it a rest, Axel. If you didn't tease Zexion back there he wouldn't have poisoned your food…"

Roxas pulled back his sleeve to study the smudged pen markings he made earlier, pulling out said pen from behind his ear and scratching out the word that correctly read; '_Agrabah_'. Located directly under that was the smudged out word which he assumed was '_Wonderland'_.

"Alright," Roxas started after tugging his sleeve down at his wrist. "Our next assignment's in Wonderland. We'd better hurry if you want to get back to the organization early, Axel."

A dark portal suddenly sprouted out from the shifting sand beneath them and granted them a safe entryway to their next destination. Axel unwearyingly picked up speed as he walked and quickly disappeared into the depths of the swirling darkness; where as Roxas was rolling his eyes and shaking his head before following his humiliated friend into the black vortex.

* * *

Vexen angrily fumbled in his pocket for an empty vial that he could use to gather a brief amount of glimmering light that seemed to emit from a row of wilted scarlet tulips. Why would the superior have him get a vial of this unknown substance? He'll never know; but it was better not to question him and just get it done as quickly as possible. Though he had to admit it would've been easier if he had the use of both his hands, but instead his left hand was currently occupied in restraining the girl besides him from suddenly dashing off in a random direction.

"Ah." Vexen muttered after feeling his fingers trace along the glassy surface of the elusive vial.

Pulling his hand out of his pocket he stared dumbfounded at the delicate cylinder between his fingers.

"For the love of-"

The bottle had a cork on it. Perfect…just _perfect_. How was he expected to remove it with just one hand? Surely it wasn't an option to release his captive just to pull off a simple cork out of a vial; she could escape that way. And he was above shoving it in his mouth and prying it open with his teeth; such manners were meant for either the flurry or the Freeshooter.

"…You." He scowled over his shoulder at his specimen. "Follow me."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad, this way."

Vexen yanked Rem roughly to one side and promptly sat her down on a giant mushroom that stood within just a few feet away from where he was previously standing. The mushroom made a strange noise as her entire body weight rested itself on the firm surface of the multicolored fungus.

"Stay." He ordered with hands on her shoulders, shaking her upper body slightly.

The second he finished his sentence he dashed off towards the hideous plant and quickly undid the cork with little effort, tossing it to the dirt beneath him and scraping a few samples of the radiance emitting from the abnormal plant into the empty beaker with his fingers. All the while he failed to noticed the tiny crack increasing in size at the bottom of the glass vial which allowed the contents within its prison to squeeze through the noticeable crack and silently fall at the scientist's feet. And yet Vexen didn't notice this until he gathered a fair amount of substance which he determined was enough; and to his displeasure, none of its contents remained except the few grains of white quickly swirling into a circle at the bottom and spilling out onto the ground.

The glass vial was angrily chucked in a random direction before Vexen dug into his pocket for an extra.

"How irritating…" He seethed while scratching off the remaining substance from the offending plant with his fingertips.

"How could I have not noticed a crack in it before?"

As time progressed he mumbled on and on to himself until he confirmed that the vial was indeed, full enough to count as a sample, and spun around on the heel of his boot to glance at his specimen sitting silently on the mushroom…

She was no longer there.

There he stood motionless, tempted to drop the delicate vial between his fingers into a glassy mess all over the ground after shaking his head a few times; closing his eyes and re-opening them; closing his eyes and rubbing them then re-opening them _again_. It didn't work, this was no trick of the sun (or lack thereof) but his specimen had suddenly vanished.

"Ng…" He stuttered bewildered, feeling the lid of his left eye twitch as a result of the blow he felt that had abruptly dropped into his abdomen.

"What in the name of Kingdom Hearts-

It was during the gibberish stuttering of the academic that a black portal suddenly shot out from the ground behind him, quickly letting in his underlings which he eventually recognized to be the flurry of dancing flames and his accomplice, the key of destiny.

His luck only plummeted from there.

"Let's see…" Roxas started. "We've already cleared Halloween Town, stole the jewel from the cave of wonders in Agrabah, so all that's left is to get some weird fungus from the forest in for dinner tonight…" Roxas nodded after reading the blotchy smudge marks on the underside of his forearm.

"Great, so let's hurry up and get it so we can leave." Axel sneered while absentmindedly tugging at the hood still yanked over his face. "I hate this place just about as much as I hate being a nobody."

The blonde narrowed his eyes at the red head trailing far behind him. "I still think you're overreacting. I mean it's just a-

"_You two_!" A cold and demanding voice called out from in front of them. "Stay where you are!"

Roxas froze mid-step just in time as Axel shuddered after recognizing the voice to belong to a certain scientist that happened to be storming towards them at an incredible speed for one of his age.

'_Oh man_,' Axel thought. '_What's _he _doing here?_'

"Where is she?!" He yelled, jabbing an accusing finger at the flurry's shrouded face. "I know you took her!"

Although his face could not be seen, he offered to the older man a strange and taken aback look.

"Where's _who_?" He mused.

"You known who I'm talking about! You had something to do with _that_!" Vexen jerked a thumb at the unoccupied mushroom sitting just a few meters away, which in return Axel parted his lips slightly while studying the super sized object the academic was pointing to.

"…I didn't put it there." Axel defended.

This only succeeded in causing the severely agitated scientist to bring a palm to his forehead.

"Not the fungus you _twit_." He snarled while spinning around and waving his hand in the same direction. "The _girl_!"

"…_Alice_?" Roxas suddenly murmured after assuming that the scientist had granted him permission to move his frozen limbs.

Thank Kingdom Hearts that Vexen had a limitless supply of patience for even the most ignorant members of the organization; otherwise their numbers just might have decreased by more than half if he even let himself lose just the slightest amount of his composure.

Not that he really had any composure to begin with; he had no emotions so it only made sense.

"Never mind…" Vexen retorted, mildly convinced that the possibility of Axel being responsible for Rem's disappearance was at a mere five percent; possibly less.

"I would assume that the two of you have a mission to take care of." He quickly digressed wanting to seek out his specimen as soon as possible before unfortunate matters may have befallen her. "Off you go then."

Axel nearly allowed his hood to slide from his face after receiving such an uncharacteristic command.

"Wait a sec-You just go and pick a fight with me and you just expect me to-

"Right, sorry, Vexen!" Roxas quickly interrupted, shoving the undersides of his hands into the flurry's lower back and subsequently forcing him forwards into the endless brush of overgrown grass before he had the chance to hurl another one of his well-thought out comebacks to the older nobody.

Vexen waited patiently for the mindless barrage of distant retorts to cease as the shorter nobody continued to nudge his partner farther away from the desolate location. He frowned at Axel's choice of words as the last of the flurry's voice eventually blended in with the fluent and calming breeze of the forest.

All was silent.

Except for a strange yet curious pair of eyes that sat silently at the top of a large tree branch just above the scientist's head.

"_Lose something?…" _

Vexen spun around and frowned, swatting a brush of upside-down multicolored lilies out of his face to get a good glance at whatever called out to him.

He looked around perplexed and un-amused as there was nobody standing there; or for that matter within earshot of his current position. Vexen absentmindedly brought a gloved hand to his head and scratched for a few seconds, questioning himself if he were truly losing his mind for being in such a wretched place for so long.

"I must be hearing things…" He confirmed, taking just a few steps forwards before the familiar voice broke the silence.

"_Who's hearing things?"_

"Who is talking to me?" Vexen demanded before whipping his head in random directions as if expecting to catch a glimpse of some silhouette of another human being. The only things that crowded his visions were only overgrown plants and monstrous weeds that towered over the forest; this only succeeded in arousing a vague sense of anger from within the hole in his chest.

"_Who's talking to you?"_ It mocked. _"The sky, maybe?"_

Vexen found it utterly foolish to actually listen to what this voice was saying, yet looking at the sky was exactly what he did. Not because he wanted to, more like because it was a vague clue as to where the voice was hiding. What practically surprised the scientist was his willow eyes caught a glimpse of two gravity-defying eyeballs hovering just within feet above his head.

"_Found you." _They giggled.

'_Good lord…'_

A wide and mischievous toothy grin quickly accompanied the disembodied eyeballs. A purple tail quickly followed, as did a long violet ribbon that wrapped itself in a circular shape around the unseen body. And finally did the indigo fur of the mysterious creature materialize into being, and there stood the wildly known and rarely seen mischievous feline;

The Cheshire Cat.

"Hello up there." It chuckled teasingly.

It only made sense that he would say that, seeing as the Cheshire Cat was standing upside-down…

"Yes, yes-what do you want?"

"She went that way." It pointed simply, the toothy grin never leaving his face.

"…What?"

"The girl." It repeated. "She went that way."

Vexen quirked an eyebrow at the abnormal feline's choice of words and scowled as a retort.

"What reason do you have to tell me that?"

"Tell you what?"

"Where she is."

"Where _who _is?"

"The _girl_."

"_What _girl?"

Vexen restrained himself from hurling an unexpected insult at the cheery cat above him, but instead smoothed out his long, black coat and made for the quickest route that would hopefully separate him from his irritating companion…

"Bothersome _cat_." He grumbled before making his way down the dirt coated path, black jacket billowing out calmly behind him.

"_**Cheshire **__Cat."_

* * *

Rem giggled after bringing her index finger to the corners of her lips to wipe off a tiny glob of frosting that stuck to her face from the strawberry-filled cake that accompanied her at the large dinner table. She ran her fingers down the tea-stained fabric that occasionally brushed up against her dangling legs from the end of the table; she couldn't see anything, but according to the rhythmic voices of the two males besides her, she must be at some sort of dinning table.

"Happy unbirthday! Happy unbirthday to you!" The Mad Hatter cheered in a sing-song voice.

"Happy unbirthday, little girl! Have some tea on your happy unbirthday!" Chimed the March Hare.

Rem felt for the tiny handle of the teacup that sat just inches away from her fingers, smiling as she did.

"I would like that! Oh, but where is the cup?" She mused shortly after pulling half her hand from a watery substance that she automatically assumed _wasn't _her silverware. Without thinking, she unknowingly brought her fingers to her lips and popped them into her mouth one by one.

It was tea.

The taste was delectable, in her opinion. She's never had tea before in her life; and this flavored water sent a strange sensation down her body. Almost like she needed more of it.

Rem stuck her left hand forwards and silently dipped her fingers into the substance for the second time. She repeated her actions by pulling her arm back and popping her fingers back into her mouth.

"Oh no no no no no _no_!" The Mad Hatter suddenly exclaimed, snatching her wrist and shoving a small tea cup within her fingers. "Manners! Drink some tea, little girl!"

Shortly after saying this, the Mad Hatter jumped noisily onto the table and smashed his face into the large cake and began to devour it while making obnoxious slurping noises.

Rem sat there silently for a few seconds before bringing her shaking cup to her lips and taking a fair amount of sips from the sides.

"Hm…now where is that cake?" Rem fumbled for a moment, letting her fingers trace along the table feeling around for any sort of metal. Yet what she felt next was something that was obviously not a fork.

The March Hare's ears.

As if on instinct she pulled her arm backwards, resulting in the rabbit flying directly over the table and landing smack dab in the creamy strawberry cake with a loud and wet _plop_. This only caused the many flavors of frosting to fly in random directions, and eventually rain onto Rem's face and outfit.

"_Oh_!" She yelled, bringing her arms up to defend her face. "I'm sorry!"

Silence.

…

…

…

…

"Uh, Hello?…" She muttered nervously, getting the awkward feeling that she was now suddenly alone.

Rem reluctantly lifted a trembling hand to her side and ran her fingers down the silky cloth of the dinning table in hopes of brushing against her two new companions. However it only a mere five seconds for the side of her pinky finger to suddenly come into contact with a fully gloved hand resting firmly on her side of the table. Before she was allowed the chance to react, the hand suddenly snatched up her wrist and roughly yanked her to her feet.

"Hello _yourself_." Cooed the voice of a familiar young man.

* * *

Vexen smashed his hands up against a large tree trunk and yanked his left leg free of an angry swarm of what he assumed were a group of unidentified heartless. Apparently during his aggravating stroll he had unknowingly stepped into an occupied nest that housed a fair amount of heartless; which was safe to say that weren't exceptionally fond of being stepped on. So as a result they retaliated by overpowering their intruder by mercilessly swarming the body of said scientist and continuously making annoying and loud noises to drive their attacker away.

As a response, Vexen kicked at the small figures of the defenseless heartless.

"No respect." He mumbled angrily after shaking off what was left of the angry mob of creatures from his legs.

"Wretched lesser beings…what business do they have in this insignificant forest to begin with?"

A low but audible horn could be heard sounding off its disapproval of being insulted; to which Vexen responded by sending it sailing through the air with a swift but hard kick to its side.

"Wretched heartless." He seethed. "Wretched mission, wretched girl, wretched forest, wretched superior…"

He smoothed back his dirty blonde hair and scowled at the countless disembodied eye staring curiously down at him from their distance positions up in the trees.

"Wretched…whatever those creatures are…" He murmured uselessly before swatting yet another brush of endless weeds away from his face.

"No respect, no respect, no respect…" He repeated continuously over the past few minutes. "No respect no respect…"

"_There he is! Capture him!" _Called out a panicky and unsteady voice that sounded off from behind him. _"Off with his head! Off with his head!"_

Vexen frowned and began to look over his shoulder.

"I beg your pardon-

A spear the size of Sai'x's claymore with the blade at the end carved expertly into a heart was unexpectedly forced into the scientist's face, subsequently resulting in him taken off guard and sprawling out onto his back in a very uncomfortable position.

The card soldier before him offered the scientist a deep scowl and darted his pupils from his sunken, pale face to the delicate, glass vial rolling steadily out of the academic's pocket and slowly making its way towards his bright red and puffy shoes.

Vexen abruptly made a grab for it, but was quickly sent back onto his behind by the familiar heart-shaped spear being jabbed ungracefully at his chest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Vexen demanded in a low voice, slowly losing his so-called _limitless _patience.

The small army of card soldiers remained silent as several of them exchanged similar expressions before a much darker card; black to be exact; came marching through the thick and orderly line that the red cards properly made to grant an entry way to the scientist. The black card noisily cleared his throat and whipped out a crumpled piece of parchment from behind his back, unrolling it within his fingers.

"The crime is the accusation of stealing the Queen of Hearts's memories. By order of the Queen, you are to be beheaded as punishment for committing said act."

Vexen rolled his eyes. The Queen of Hearts, he knew, had a rather nasty habit of condemning the accused to die without so mush as a trial or hearing. The organization knew that there was indeed a _super heartless_; as they would call it, very similar in size to Darkside that had the ability to encroach the memories of the victims of its choosing. Wonderland was hardly that big of a place once you memorized its layout, and he figured the inhabitants would surly spot the creature sooner or later.

"I don't suppose you have any evidence to support this?" Vexen mused while staring down the tip of the heart-shaped spear undaunted.

The black card remained silent as he rolled up the crumpled piece of parchment and stuffed it somewhere behind his back. The soldier narrowed its unseen eyes at the scientist before turning his head to exchange puzzled expression with its fellow cards. They awkwardly returned the look as Vexen awaited their next answer or excuse.

"The evidence? The evidence of your theft is…because I say so! Off with his head!" A deep yet vaguely feminine voice bellowed from beyond the army of card soldiers.

Fearfully, the soldiers one by one formed a neat and orderly row of cards on opposite sides to resemble a heard of knights making way for their long known queen. Marching, or more like stumbling down the newly formed isle was the Queen of Hearts with arms crossed and eyebrows creased. The card soldiers immediately straightened in their positions and quickly saluted their queen as she stomped right past them.

"Respect your _elders_." Vexen growled after sliding to his knees and pushing himself off the ground, staggering to his feet. "I have done nothing wrong, allow me to pass."

"_SILENCE_!" She screeched flailing her arms in the air, causing her minions besides her to duck their heads in cover and scatter in random directions as if being attacked by a swarm of bees.

Vexen shrugged his shoulders and winced at the ear-splitting shriek that had so kindly acted as his wakeup call.

"Charming," He snorted sarcastically. "You are foolish to think that one of your standards holds power over me."

"You are in _my _kingdom now! I hold power over all of my subjects, and whatever I say goes!"

The queen's face began to turn several shades of red as her hair began to stand up on its own.

"**OFF WITH HIS **_**HEAD**_**!"**

* * *

Vexen tucked a lock of blonde hair behind his ear after dismissing his icy shield with a wave of his hand, giving the countless icicles of the once card soldiers an approving look seeing as they were now, defenseless. Several of the soldiers were unfortunate enough to actually get themselves frozen to each _other_, which Vexen found exceptionally amusing as he made his way past them. He fluently glided past his artistic ice sculptures and stuck out his arm threateningly as if preparing to summon his weapon for the second time.

"Perhaps you might like to be my next opponent?" He smirked briefly, giving the now soldier-less queen a hint that he was not a force to be reckoned with when in a bad mood.

The Queen of Hearts staggered backwards and pressed her pudgy body up against the grassy wall behind her, smiling nervously as the scientist advanced in slow and easy steps towards her.

"…Now dearie, it was all just a simple…m-misunderstanding, that's all. I'd be happy t-to clear you of all charges! Of c-course if _that _is what you want?…"

"Indeed it is." Vexen chuckled. "However there is a favor that I would like to ask."

The queen made a loud gulping noise within her throat and forced the corners of her mouth to twitch into a wide and nervous grin.

"Of course, d-dearie! _Anything_!"

* * *

Marluxia portaled into the safety of the white room in which his captive Namine was forced to remain as his defenseless prisoner. It was there that the witch cringed in her seat as an unkept-looking female was hurled to the floor not so far away from her current position, landing on all fours as the graceful assassin frowned deeply at his newest captive.

"I want you to make sure that she does not escape, am I clear, Namine?" He asked in a most fake polite tone.

Her only and natural response was nothing short of a barely audible whimper and shrugged shoulders as Marluxia gave her an intimidating scowl over his shoulder.

"I will return momentarily."

A black portal suddenly arouse from the hard tilled floor where Namine hardly had the chance to see Marluxia disappear into. Nothing more than the tail of his coat could only be seen billowing out from behind him as he fluently exited the room, leaving nothing behind except the distance rhythm of the soles of his boots clapping noisily against the floors, and finally leaving the white room in complete and utter silence.

* * *

**Argh T_T now my hands hurt. I don't know how long I've been prolonging this chapter, but lookie, now it's up! And for those of you who read my little note in the Q&A's, I had said that my high school finals were supposed to be over on Friday. But guess what? We had two snow days taking up both Thursday AND Friday. So that means I have to study on a three day weakened. And that really sucks.**


	6. How Foolish Indeed

Zexion looked up from one of the long worded paragraphs in his lexicon to briefly sniff the air after picking up a faint disturbance in the castle that never was. His crystal blue eyes shifted from corner to corner suspiciously, immediately catching the diviner besides him slow in his steps and perk a pointed ear at the eerily quiet atmosphere.

"How very strange…" Zexion breathed after closing his book with a loud snap. "Marluxia has left the castle. What on earth can he be doing this time?"

The two pairs of boots traveling swiftly across the white marble floor came to an abrupt halt with black coats still flowing from their movements.

Sai'x closed his eyes and tucked a chunk of loose hair behind his pointed wolf-like ear.

"Where is he now?" He asked, briefly turning his head towards his companion.

The corridor which the two nobodies occupied remained desolate and still as Zexion pondered for an answer while differing the countless scents in the castle that never was to familiarize himself with Marluxia's. Within the minute, he easily separated the emanating darkness within the graceful assassin's scent from the other odors of the twelve nobodies.

"Found it." He announced expertly. "Marluxia; he's close by."

"You've failed to answer my question, VI." The diviner scowled. "I specifically asked where XI is at this moment; not how close he is to our position."

"_Zexion_. Is that name so hard to pronounce? I am your superior and you should refrain from referring to me as my rank. As for Marluxia, I cannot pinpoint his exact location; he is moving around too much. Though it puzzles me as to why he has left the castle so…_suddenly_. It's very strange, even for him…"

As he began to take his first step forwards, Zexion felt the top of his head being met with the stringy, blue locks of the luna diviner flowing gently behind him, walking at a slightly quicker pace than he was.

"If that's the case, then I don't need to be anywhere near him when trouble brews. Nothing good can come from this when XI leaves his position at Castle Oblivion."

Before Zexion could find the strength to even open his mouth to speak, a black, swirling portal of darkness opened up just feet from the blue haired diviner's face which served as his chosen exit. Within the blink of an eye, the billowing tail of Sai'x's coat could only be seen disappearing within the bowls of the black portal before him.

"_You would be wise to do the same, Zexion."_

* * *

There they stood, motionless and discontented facing one another with blank expressions. Marluxia gazed at the chilly academic with a deceitful yet gentle grin that only served as a boost for the slowly decreasing patience of the older scientist before him. Vexen's deep and cold frown was easily spotted by the confident assassin, which in return only raised the mauve eyebrows of the taunting young man.

"Is there something on your mind, Vexen?" He sighed undaunted. "You're looking awfully pale."

"I could say the same for you, it's very unlike you to behave so smugly." Vexen spat back.

The grip on the scientist's shield only tightened immensely after his dull willow eyes caught a glimpse of the lord of the castle snickering for but a brief second after effortlessly flicking a piece of pink hair behind his shoulders.

"Oh, am I now? But I hardly find that a good reason why you should raise your weapon at me..."

"H-…How _**dare **_you, you ignorant neophyte?!" Vexen barked before abruptly slamming the bottom of his ice shield flat up against the wall, which in return rattled the desolate corridor with a noise similar to a deep thunder. "You know full well why I raise my weapon! You have what is rightfully mine and I _demand _that you return her at once!"

"_**Or what?" **_Marluxia challenged, enclosing his gloved fingers around the green hilt of his pink scythe while staring down the academic with an undaunted smile. "What will you do, Vexen? _Kill _me?"

The unbearable snickering fit that only served to provoke the academic even further penetrated the unbreakable barrier of the scientist's mind and echoed continuously for seconds.

Taunting him

_Mocking _him.

'_Or what?' _He says teasingly. _'Will you kill me?' _

'Nobodies cannot _die_.'

"Who will believe you, Vexen? Your ignorant counterparts which you refer to as friends?" He giggled childishly.

His mauve, curly hair bounced carelessly against his shoulders and back as he began pacing the floor while raising his scythe on the bridge of his shoulders.

"Now what were Xemnas' orders? To keep that specimen of yours under control I believe? My my, Vexen; he gives you one simple order and you go and disappoint…I wonder what the superior will have to say about this? Perhaps he'll finally realize you are no longer fit to serve our organization…after all, you've already proven that you are unable to contain a small woman without losing sight of her."

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet by at least ten degrees as Vexen narrowed his blonde eyebrows and quickly bit the tip of his tongue to prevent himself from shouting something vulgar as a response to Marluxia's taunting.

"How did you know of the Superior's orders when you were clearly not present in his room?" He managed to choke out.

The black, curled eyelashes that fluttered so gracefully in front of the mauve haired man's pupils added to the fake innocent smile that stretched from cheek to cheek.

"**The walls have ears, my friend."**

As if taunting the elder scientist wasn't enough for the graceful assassin, he immediately realized that perhaps Vexen's patience had been tried for the last time as he instinctively but fluently swung his right arm forwards to shield himself from the oncoming barrage of endless icicles that seemingly appeared from thin air. Marluxia's scythe blade effortlessly deflected the sharpened ice, and just as easily scattered them in different directions, implanting them into countless objects.

With a yell, Vexen swung his arm into the air while at the same time conjuring a goliath-sized mound of ice. The vibrations of the immense summoning tossed the academics body several feet into the air, which the scientist expertly used as a great advantage as he twisted his airborne body into an upside-down position. His long, blonde hair whipped wildly and carelessly around his pale face as he threw his arms out on either side of him, viciously gripping the handle on his blue shield.

"Slice through the ever blooming darkness and pierce those who stand in your way! Come to me, ice blade!"

The marble floor under Marluxia's feet shifted violently and carelessly as the graceful assassin leapt high into the air and hovered fifteen feet above the shifting icicles below.

"Do you intend to kill me, Vexen? Is that your intention?" He laughed half-heartedly.

The rock hard shield resting in Vexen's right hand illuminated a dull yet noticeable white aura that engulfed both the shield and the academic's entire arm. Within that blink of an eye, the white shield began to morph into a liquid-like substance that covered half Vexen's body and formed into what looked like a lengthy blade of pure ice.

Marluxia frowned and tightened his grip on his scythe, readying himself to counter attack if Vexen decided to go through with his attempt to hack him to pieces.

The look reflecting off the academics dulled green eyes was that of pure hatred and the obvious intent to take the non-life of his not superior.

Both men locked eyes for what seemed like eternity but in reality only five seconds as Vexen pressed his dignity in the far corners of his mind as he focused on nothing else but the offending assassin hovering just yards away. The wide and mischievous grin had been wiped clean from his face.

The air around them became stilled and silent as both nobodies remained perfectly motionless, eyes continuously locked with similar expressions plastered onto their faces. Vexen's blonde hair brushed at his face and entangled his chin just as Marluxia's mauve hair curled and tickled his cheeks.

With a loud and ear-shattering yell, Vexen repelled himself forwards and flew towards the graceful assassin with terrifying speed while gripping the hilt of his icy blade firmly at his side.

"_**DIE**_, **you insignificant neophyte**!!!!"

Raising the blade of his scythe, Marluxia positioned himself to make a clear shot at the opening Vexen had carelessly made as he charged blindly at his target.

"Scatter to darkness you decrepit fool!"

With both weapons raised high above their heads, both men advanced towards each other at superhuman speeds leaving trails of petals and ice as the gap was rapidly decreasing in size, raising a tremendous amount of tension steadily increasing in the narrow corridor.

Suddenly, Vexen felt a cold rush of air leave his lungs and exit forcefully from his mouth, literally knocking the wind out of him and demanding that his body double over. Without thinking he took his eyes from the approaching assassin and wrapped his arms around his stomach. In the process he also released his grip on his only weapon and let it fall to the ground with a shattering crash.

His first thought, Marluxia had struck him.

But only as he squinted through partially open eyelids did he see the graceful assassin's face holding a similar expression of confusion and anger.

Vexen began coughing and gagging as his lungs screamed and begged for oxygen, threatening to force him into unconsciousness subsequently resulting in a twenty feet plummet to the marble below. The academic stifled strained heavy breathes as his vision began to blur, and within seconds he began to feel light headed and somewhat dizzy. He felt the air around him begin to rush at his body and toss his hair above him with ferocious force that he believed he might've been hovering over a super sized fan. But as his vision cleared by only a fraction, the countless colors of the castle that never was were whizzing past his face and in that instant reality had finally dawned on him.

Vexen was falling.

Fast.

Totally oblivious of what to do and how to save himself from crashing to the ground, Vexen strained his muscles to brace himself for the devastating fall. But as his vision began to blur for the last time, his willow green eyes caught a glimpse of rugged brown hair, and bright periwinkle locks.

* * *

Axel sighed with a great sense of boredom as he tightened his grip on the firm shoulders of Vexen's female specimen while both of them walked steadily down the corridor. Rem had been quiet during the walk, which truly didn't surprise him. From what he could tell, Marluxia had planned to get Vexen turned into a dusk by kidnapping Rem and then somehow provoking the scientist to attack him, which he did, and then reporting him to the superior for failing a mission and assaulting the lord of the castle without reason. Of course his plan might've worked, if he hadn't picked such an obvious hiding place for Vexen's specimen. Heck even Demyx could've figured out that Namine and Rem were in the same room. Perhaps Marluxia's closet would've been a good place, but it was too late for that now.

"How you enjoying your stay here, kid?" Axel chuckled sarcastically while nudging the back of the girl's shoulder. "Well?"

Not sure how to respond to this, Rem frowned and dipped her head as if to say, 'No.'.

Axel giggled and pushed her forwards.

"Didn't think so. But don't worry about it; Vexen'll probably kill you later so that way you don't have to go through this again."

Under his leather gloved fingers he felt the girl's body stiffen and tremble. And as a result, Axel chuckled.

"…Who are you? You can't be Vexen." She pointed out quite obviously staring straight ahead with useless grey eyes.

The pyro frowned and stopped walking, which in return causing the girl to stumble after suddenly coming to a halt. Gripping on of her shoulders, he spun Rem around and stole a glance at her eyes. It was obvious that she was looking right at him, but at the same time it looked as if she couldn't see him either.

Axel stroked his chin.

"Hm, I guess when Vexen said you were blind, he wasn't kidding." He 'ch'ed while studying the girl's grey and motionless eyes.

Moving his useful hand from his side and raising to fingers, he position them in front of her face and moved them back and forth.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

On the inside, Axel was laughing at his own joke but on the surface he kept a wide and toothy grin as his green eyes caught a slight feeling of frustration reflect from Rem's face as she stared blindly at Axel's hand.

What he expected was for the girl to shout out some random number or growl and make frustrated noises, but instead he got the exact opposite.

Her arms shot out.

And grabbed his hair.

* * *

Vexen was still. Not only because of the presence of his seemingly angered colleagues whom stood only feet away from his bed, but rather the throbbing and continuous pain that mercilessly spread throughout his right arm and ribs. His green willow eyes immediately caught the sight of a blue sling that stretched around the back of his neck, and hugged the area around his elbow. But what really took him off guard was the undeniable fact that his black coat had been removed from his shoulders. His upper body remained exposed to the chilliness of his room, as did the expertly wrapped and bandaged ribcage which caused the scientist to double take at his own body.

"Zexion, Lexaeus, what is the meaning of this?" He demanded coldly, pointing with his good hand at his chest and his arm.

Neither spoke. But Zexion seemed rather amused by whatever was in his lexicon by the way he was flipping around vigorously for some sort of information. Hunched over in the corner sat the silent hero, whom by now was currently occupied with some sort of puzzled that he fumbled with between his fingers with soft _click clicks_.

Vexen narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.

"I am talking to you two!" He seethed, slapping his palms on the side of the bed. "Answer me!"

Zexion frowned. He flipped another several pages into his lexicon and pressed his gloved finger to the text of a single paragraph, and ran it down the page. His face fell, and he continued flipping the pages with a loud huff. Yet suddenly, he froze mid-page. He turned his head, turned the page, skimmed a short paragraph, and snapped his fingers with a triumphant grin.

"This," Zexion began. "It a perfect example of what should have been done, Lexaeus."

Bookmarking the page with the tip of his finger, he strut casually over to the larger man seated way in the corner, and held open the book while pointing repeatedly at the page.

"This was a much more civilized approach to cease the fight, painless too. Perhaps it even would've spared Vexen's arm and ribcage, mind you."

Lexaeus looked up from the hand-sized puzzle between his fingers and carefully studied the bold and italicized text that the schemer was pointing to. His blue eyes fell among each word in the lengthy paragraph, then returned a blank stare at the shorter nobody before him.

"We were rushing. You would have never had the time to cast that spell by the speed at which both of them were going."

"So you are implying that attacking Vexen with your tomahawk was a civilized _approach_?"

"No."

"Number six! Number five, what in the name of kingdom hearts is going on? Why am I here, what happened to me, why is my body-

"_Silence, Vexen_." Growled the recognizable low voice of the silent hero, whom by now was shooting Vexen a cold and continuous stare. "You're in no position to demand answers."

"That is correct." Zexion cut in. "Do you have any idea what could have happened if you had succeeded in defeating Marluxia this afternoon? Do you have any idea what he could have done? Do you?"

Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, Vexen bit the tip of his tongue and looked back at both his colleagues with a sour expression.

"What do you mean?"

"He means you were lead into a trap." Lexaeus snapped. "Marluxia's plan was to get your existence wiped completely by the Superior. If you had succeeded in striking him down that very moment, he would've had every right to report you for raising arms against the lord of the castle."

"What?…You _dare _accuse me of raising _my _weapon on that neophyte? Marluxia did the same, he attacked me as well-

"No, he did not." Zexion corrected. "Marluxia was careful not to strike you first, correct me if I'm wrong, but he did nothing but defend throughout your entire fight…"

Thinking back at just that moment, he was undoubtedly right. He remembered perfectly that he was the one attacking during the fight, Marluxia only defended as if…_waiting _to be struck.

He was waiting.

He deliberately put himself in harms way just to get the academic removed from the organization.

That was so simple, why couldn't he have figured that out before?

"…You are correct." Vexen sighed. "I was…_foolish_, I let my anger get the better of me-I shouldn't have done that. Why-this is so unlike me!"

"Calm down, Vexen." Zexion murmured. "Don't blame yourself for everything. Partially, this is Marluxia's fault as well."

"He purposely kidnapped your specimen knowing that you would retaliate in a negative way, and then he willingly instigated a battle in order to get you erased." Lexaeus explained, studying the intricate designs carved into his puzzle with solemn eyes. "And you played right into his hands."

"…Curse myself." Vexen uncharacteristically sulked. "Curse him…"

Within the next few minutes the room fell into silence, and Vexen sat motionless, hunched over with long, blonde hair falling over his face and spilling onto his shoulders. He said nothing for what seemed like an eternity, and then his eyes rose with a dim reflection of curiosity that was easily noticed by both silent hero and schemer.

"Zexion," Vexen sighed with little feeling. "Tell me, how did you and Lexaeus stop our fight?"

"Perhaps…you should ask _Lexaeus_…" Zexion accused while turning his head to shoot the silent hero a blank stare.

With to pairs of eyes now directed at the quiet man sitting nervously in the corner, he felt pressured beyond relief that he was obligated to answer his question. Setting the puzzle down on his lap, Lexaeus averted his eyes from the older scientist and tapped his foot repeatedly.

"My apologies, Vexen. I used my tomahawk to incapacitate you."

"You did what?"

A lexicon was noisily slapped down on a small table that Zexion had been sitting at. Both nobodies looked up to see the schemer carelessly flipping pages, searching for his so-called _civilized _method.

"_I _suggested we restrain you by using a spell from my lexicon, but unfortunately, Lexaeus decided to take matters into his own hands and manually restrain you. Though I must say it was rather uncivilized…"

Vexen quirked an eyebrow and dropped his head to study the white bandages wrapped around his upper body. It didn't take long for his mind the register that the force of the tomahawk had broken a few of his ribs.

"That aside…" Vexen shook his head. "What of Marluxia? What happened to him?"

"You needn't worry, Vexen. " Zexion reassured. "All is taken care of."

"I don't appreciate being kept in the dark, Zexion." Vexen frowned.

Looks were being exchanged between the cloaked schemer and silent hero for several minutes until the loud sound of a throat being cleared diminished the silence, and Zexion closed his eyes while covering his lips with the side of his hand.

"Do you honestly think that you were the only one who was incapacitated by Lexaeus?…"

…

…

…

…

"I see…" Vexen coughed, twirling a piece of hair in between his skinny fingers.

As the schemer rose from his chair and opened his mouth to respond to his colleague, the metal door at the side of the room was literally, kicked wide open.

Hard.

Standing just inches away from the frame of the now open door was none-other than the pyro maniac himself, Axel. And not only him, but standing silently by his side with a large hand on her shoulder was Vexen's female specimen…with a few strands of red hair tucked tightly in her small fingers.

Axel frowned bitterly and shoved the girl inside the room while he snatched the door handle, and roughly closed the door behind him.

"This," Axel started, rubbing the side of his head. "Is yours, I believe."

* * *

Rem stood completely motionless and utterly silent next to her original captor as she listened intently on a brief argument that had quickly brewed as she was pushed towards the academic in an ungraceful manner. She said nothing, even though she knew that that younger man was obviously angered by her latest attempt at grabbing his hair. It wasn't like she had done it on purpose, it was an accident. For as long as she could remember, she always recognized people by the feeling of their hair…and yet she didn't recognize the man that had dragged her here. Vexen's hair was long and silky (due to the fact that she had repeatedly grabbing it numerous times) and the young man Axel's (whom she had learned the name of seconds before) had rough and spiky hair.

Without warning, she heard the door close, and Vexen sigh.

"You," He started tiredly. "What you have put me through is indeed, monstrous…it's a wonder why I still keep you within this castle."

Zexion gave the girl a sour look and buried his face in his lexicon, the bump was the painful reminder of that girl smacking him across his head was forever burned into his memories.

Vexen shook his head and looked down at his specimen.

"No specimen could be worth so much suffering…"

Removing his useful hand from the side of the bed, he uncurled his fingers, and pat her head.

* * *

**Yes! Finally, I have completed this chapter! It killed me, it literally **_**killed **_**me! Then again it wasn't too easy updating when your mother keeps kicking you off the computer, or when your grounded-but you know. Again, I'm sorry that this took so long, and I'll try updating faster in the future! I hope this chapter wasn't a disappointment!**

**Did Vexen just pat her head? I think I'm sensing some attachments growing…**


	7. Trickery

For somebody that was well known for his incommodious talent that greatly succeeded those mild pranksters in the organization, the fiery redhead included (which he was not too happy about), one would think the essence of boredom had never remotely revealed its identity in the presence of number II. With the exception of rainy days and numerous run of the mill missions (or lack thereof in most cases), Xigbar managed to always find a way to add some sort of tinge or spice to his days to keep himself occupied and out of the member's personal business.

But low and behold in this shocking reality, Xigbar was sitting; no, _slouching_ on the white leather couch in the common area with gun propped up against his shoulder, looking for that fly that seemed to have an addiction of buzzing past his ear when he least expected it. His one golden eye searched endlessly through every corner of the room and every tile on the ceiling, occasionally coming to rest on the white flower vase sitting silently in the middle of the glass table (which the dusks had taken upon themselves to shine for the umpteenth time which mildly caught his attention, and then lost it again).

His mind suddenly wandered to the to-do list he left balancing on the edge of his seat back at the dinning hall.

That would make a pretty good target board…

So would Demyx…or Zexion…or both.

Zexion…

"Wonder where the little dude is." Xigbar yawned before scratching the back of his neck with gold eye darting from left to right. He planted his elbow on the cushion his rear was currently glued to and propped himself up so he could peer over the top of the couch. "Now that I think about that, Lex has been gone a while, too."

Something was poking at the back of his brain, but he couldn't really put his finger on it.

"Frankenstein'll probably kno-

He stopped himself.

Vexen was gone as well, longer than he usually was.

Xigbar stroked the underside of his chin and dismissed his guns with a wave of his hand.

"Right. Whole dang trio up and disappeared a few days ago…"

Without even meaning too, Xigbar stared blankly at the tall, golden doors at the other end of the room as his mind wandered from different possibilities. It wasn't abnormal for Vexen to disappear without a word for several hours, neither was it for Zexion for he couldn't stand the brightness upstairs. Lexaeus was, well…_Lexaeus_. He came and went as he pleased and nobody every questioned it unless they wanted a five hundred pound tomahawk snapping them in half. Heck he was even scarier than _Saïx_ at times…

"Maybe Frankenstein blew something up…nah, I would've heard it."

Feeling his own laziness overcome him, Xigbar looked up at the ceiling, sighed, and teleported directly in front of the door. Heaven forbid he even gather enough strength to peel himself off the couch and actually _walk _to his destination.

Walking was for losers…

"Guess there's only one way to find out."

Slipping his hand out of his pocket, Xigbar reached for the door handle and pressed that side of his body up against the door due to sheer laziness of pushing it open with just his arm.

Then somebody opened the doors, and Xigbar stumbled out.

"What the-

"…Xigbar." Marluxia greeted with a fake polite tone displeased to see the freeshooter practically running into him after unexpectedly leaning into an opening door. He didn't smile; he only wore a solid cold frown as he normally did while greeting him.

Oh right, Marluxia's been acting weird too…

"How's it going, Mar?" Xigbar asked casually, slipping his hands into his pockets as if nothing happened.

"What are you doing in Castle Oblivion?" Marluxia demanded coldly, completely ignoring Xigbar's first question.

Xigbar ignored this too and offered the graceful assassin a cocky, toothy grin.

"Gee, I really have no idea. How about you, what are _you_ doing here?"

"I was _assigned_ here…"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

Slightly aggravated and feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, Marluxia motioned for Xigbar to step aside, which he did,

(he was horribly tempted to stick his foot out but didn't) and glided past his trigger-happy colleague, looking at anything _but_ him. His cold and expressionless face was locked on the book balancing just on the edge of the glass table sitting in the middle of the room.

Smirking at the back of the mauve-haired man and his latest attempt at the silent treatment, Xigbar prepared to turn on his heel and head out the opposite way when something about Marluxia caught his eye…It was very distinct at first, hardly worth noticing when several yards away, but it did indeed make him stop dead in his tracks and steal a glance over his shoulder as he walked past him.

Marluxia was _limping_.

And not only that, but there was also a dark bruise perched on his collarbone which was poorly concealed by the hood hanging limply across his shoulders.

First, Vexen disappears.

Then Zexion stops showing up in meetings and starts missing several meals.

Afterwards, Lexaeus vanishes.

And now Marluxia shows up with a distinguishable limp and a bruise?

Something was definitely up, and Xigbar was going to find out what.

--

"How are you feeling?" Zexion murmured as he carefully inspected the bandages tightly wrapped around the skinny frame of Vexen's chest.

Rem twirled a piece of black, curly hair in between her fingers as her grey and motionless eyes stared a hole in the wall in front of her. (Zexion was careful to avoid that wall due to the awkwardness of the absentminded girl staring at him without even knowing it).

"No better." Vexen answered honestly a quiet sigh. "But I can't afford to miss a fifth meeting with the Superior, I believe he is growing suspicious…it might be possible that Marluxia-

"Marluxia will remain silent." Lexaeus suddenly growled from across the room, glaring daggers at the door while picturing Marluxia's form to be standing there. "I made sure of it."

Rem slowed the twirling motion of her index finger and parted her lips as if hesitating to ask a meaningless question. Her eyes remained focused on the reflective wall before her; completely oblivious that Zexion was shooting her a blank stare from that very spot after noticing that she was looking at him without acknowledging it. She snapped her mouth shut and let out a hardly audible sigh as she dipped her head in silence.

She curled and uncurled her toes, occasionally brushing them up against the hard marble surface of the floor enjoying the feeling of solid ground beneath her. Rem only hoped that this Vexen character wouldn't strap her to that table again. To be completely honest with herself, she'd rather be frozen to it.

"I've been meaning to tell you this sooner, but certain matters wouldn't allow it…" Zexion started as he reached into his pocket and felt around for something.

"Here." He sighed, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Vexen's good hand.

At first, Vexen mistook the crumpled piece of paper for a to-do list that Zexion had stored in his pocket for unknown reasons. But after unfolding it, (which took about two minutes due to him only having one useful hand) he immediately recognized the handwriting to belong to Saïx. (At first he assumed it had been a note from Xemnas seeing as he received the majority of his requests on paper, but it was the diviner's way of crossing his T's that gave him away. Both their handwritings were practically similar; it was almost scary).

_**Mission No. 18**_

_**Organization Rank:**__ IV_

_**Location:**__ Land of the Dragons_

_**Primary Objective:**__ Find and eliminate a level 5 heartless located in the mountains. It has the power to manifest itself from snow and ice. Insubordination is not an option. _

_**Deadline:**__ II_

_**Accomplice(s): **__Solo mission_

"Saïx trusted me to deliver that to you on time." Zexion began as he shuffled across the room to retrieve a book that Lexaeus had uncaringly knocked off the table. "If you must know, it was given to me yesterday."

Vexen frowned and looked over the note several times. His attention was drawn to the deadline that Saïx had written out, the Roman numeral II.

Two days…

"Zexion?"

"Yes?"

The sheets were thrown off Vexen's body and he carelessly swung his legs over the edge and planted them firmly on the floor. His long, stringy hair fell over his shoulders and flew into face as he grinned widely and locked eyes with the cloaked schemer.

"Do you know what this _means_?" He asked quizzically, challenging his shorter colleague.

Zexion cocked his eyebrow and brushed the long, chunk of hair away from his eyes, only for it to swing back in and tickle the bridge of his nose. There was a long pause between him and the academic, hesitating to answer his question deciphering if it were a trick one or not.

He shook his head. "…No, I do not."

Vexen grinned even wider than before and looked as if he wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him back and forth. (Of course he wouldn't have aloud that even if he were in perfect condition). But what Vexen _did_ do was push himself off the mattress and grab hold of the desk to keep from falling over.

Rem lifted her head slightly and pursed her lips together.

"This, _Zexion_, means a perfect opportunity to clear any suspicions of any sorts of injuries I have obtained! I could not have asked for anything less!"

It was then that Zexion began to question if Lexaeus managed to injure more than just his ribcage and legs. His friend was reacting rather…_strange_ to receiving a mission on such short notice. He knew Vexen disliked nothing more than having to retreat from his lab to accomplish a useless mission that didn't even remotely _pique_ his curiosity in any shape or form.

He didn't _think_ Lexaeus hit him over the head…but it was possible.

"Vexen," Zexion cooed, motioning for the academic to crawl back into his bed. "I believe you are delirious…Perhaps you should rest a bit before celebrating."

If Vexen was offended by this request, he didn't show it. Though he didn't deny that maybe he was seeing things more than usual…-but that didn't matter. He felt perfectly fine! This mission was just the kind of distraction he needed!

"Listen closely, Zexion." Vexen eagerly began, perching himself on the edge of his bed. "I believe there may be a way to reveal my injuries without arousing any suspicions. I admit this plan isn't well thought out by an ingenious mind, however it will have to do."

Zexion held back a snort at the irony. He could tell by the look on his face, Vexen was beginning to show signs of being desperate.

But he listened with full respect, interested at how he planned to get out of this mess without raising a few eyebrows…or a pointed elf ear for that matter.

"I will report to Xemnas this afternoon and act as if I normally would to receiving a mission as this. However, I will have my specimen accompany me as I go. I will say she is temporarily…_insane_ due to a drug I had injected her with a few hours ago. Obviously she would be too dangerous to leave unattended, and I wouldn't want to miss a second of the countless symptoms she may obtain in the process? So I will simply have to bring her along on the mission."

Rem perked her head after hearing one of her many nicknames being used.

"However, while fighting this creature in the mountains, she will simply get in the way and I will get horribly _injured_ as a result."

He emphasized _injured_ to refer to the damaged ribcage and the inability to walk in a straight line without falling over. His plan made sense nonetheless, however there were countless holes in his story that Zexion could've easily pointed out. But it was highly unlikely that the Superior would ask for a detailed description of just how his specimen managed to interfere with the fight, or just how he was able to get himself injured by an element he was supposedly highly experienced with.

_Saïx_ might…but that was unlikely as well.

"That's…uncharacteristically _desperate_ of you, Vexen." He sighed with a wave of his hand. "But just how do you think you are going to appear perfectly unharmed when you report to the Superior?"

Vexen paused for a moment, staring at the younger man as if waiting for the answer to suddenly appear out thin air.

Zexion returned the stare with an equal blank look.

"…I suppose I will have to ignore this pain and assume that I can withstand only a few minutes with the Superior."

"And if Saïx is there in the room _with_ you?" Zexion suddenly assumed, already aware that the diviner could easily spot a lie a mile away. Not to mention it would only take him seconds to notice any sort of limp or injury as Vexen approached his office.

But it was Vexen's answer that nearly caused the cloaked schemer, whom always expected the unexpected, to double take at his response.

"I am willing to take that risk…there is nothing more I can do…"

Now it was Zexion who was beginning to question his _own_ sanity. He had just heard this from a man he had known for practically half his life, who was dedicated to his research and experiments beyond anybody in the entire world. Vexen _never_ relied on pure chance, regardless of the situation. He only took such measures when his plan was tested multiple times, experimented on, and later on, confirmed bullet proof.

"Girl." Vexen suddenly spoke, snapping the cloaked schemer out of his thoughts. "How skilled would you say you are at acting?"

"I don't know…" She answered honestly, her response coming out more as a question than an answer.

"…I need you to act disoriented for a certain amount of time-

"_No_!" She interrupted suddenly, unaware that her voice was raised twice as high than intended. (And being in a closed off room only made it that much louder).

Zexion absentmindedly looked over his shoulder to spy on the vase with a single white rose, expecting it to suddenly crack and explode like a wine glass would to an opera singer.

But much to his surprise, it remained intact.

Vexen frowned and pressed his fingers against his temples for the third time. Sound seemed to be the only thing feeding his headache at this point…and there was plenty of it.

"If it is your intention to catch the attention of somebody nearby, don't waste your time. This room is soundproof."

Rem brought her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs close, burying her face in her sickly pale skin.

She knew all along, although the thought disgusted her beyond all reason, that if she were to escape from this unfamiliar place, she would somehow have to earn this Vexen character's trust. Although this idea hadn't struck her until her latest attempt at freedom, she knew it was the only way to somehow find a way back to Radiant Garden was to work as hard as she could to gain this man's trust. At first, Rem considered socializing with him so she could understand what kind of person he was, or to at least get him to say something other than, 'Girl!' or, 'Bothersome wench!' (She took a mental note saying to hit him over the head with something the moment she got free). Of course she could never find the perfect moment to speak with him, seeing as he had the dreadful habit of knocking her unconscious with some sort of injection, and carrying her off to who-knows-where. In the sad reality, the only words she was barely able to communicate with him were, 'My name is Rem.'

And what progress _that_ was…

But wait, maybe now was a good opportunity!

Vexen had just asked her to do him a favor…but it was a simple one and it was near impossible to turn _that_ into a conversation.

…Or was it?

"I-I won't do it unless…unless I know where I'm going." She finished just in time, building off the 'no' she had foolishly shouted out earlier, nearly snapping her plan in two.

Still rubbing his temples as his headache finally began to subside, Vexen turned and stared at his specimen with his faded green eyes, searching for any sort of trickery or deception in her motionless face.

"…It's a section of that world that is coated with snow and ice. You will need to know nothing more than that." Was his only response to her question. He did seem to hesitate at first, but it was and undeniable fact that she wouldn't have budged from that spot if he said nothing.

_Cursed girl…_

--

In the enveloping silence that calmly soothed the forever dark and dusty basement floor, others often wondered just how the three original apprentices managed to make a living in such an uninhabitable environment. But it also served its purpose as a barrier of some sort to keep whatever Vexen was growing down there safely kept away from the rest of the organization. (The other two weren't as lucky). But as it went on as a rumor and a fact that had been proven multiple times, the room where Vexen occasionally slept and preformed his most vulgar experiments on unwilling specimens was utterly soundproof from the outside.

It was often suspected that the academic may be lying at his expense as so he could keep the peace within his laboratory in order; and many have tried to catch even the tiniest shard of sound protruding from the room. It goes without saying that every attempt failed. But that only went for those whom whispered and spoke in their little groups as they huddled close to that very door, expecting to catch the muffled screams of Vexen's live experiments.

But in the dominant silence that coated the lowest floor, a tall figure hovered close to the door, going completely undetected by any lesser nobodies that had been stationed there for security purposes.

Xigbar, with his ear planted firmly against the metallic door, widened the grin that had earlier worked its way onto his severely scarred face. But that too, was consumed by the darkest shadows that lie beneath the enigmatic castle of the World That Never Was…

--

It wasn't abnormal for the chilly academic to be declared absent from the majority of the gatherings the Superior had often scheduled; and sometimes taking it upon himself to confirm him absent even when he hadn't yet entered the room. Not that he didn't trust Vexen; he was originally one of his most loyal disciples back when they were somebodies so he found no reason to suspect any abnormal behavior from such a dedicated follower (after all, he _was_ an abnormal man…). However, in very few rare cases, Vexen was only seen emerging from his lair when he summoned by a superior to complete a simple task, or if something highly flammable exploded and was sending out radiation waves that coated the entire basement floor. (Axel was sure to keep away from the scientist for as long as possible to avoid having acid splashed in his face). Xemnas confirmed in his mind, that the scientist was undoubtedly one of his most trusted followers. And that is the very reason why he said nothing when Vexen, for the second time, stood before his superior wearing a rather sour look on his face with his specimen roughly apprehended in his right hand.

'He seems to be buying it,' Vexen thought with a hint of worry in his voice. 'Perhaps I may succeed after all.'

"…And you request that you have her accompany you due to scientific purposes, correct?" Xemnas assumed, lacing his fingers together.

Vexen nodded. "Yes sir," And held out his hand. "I believe Saïx entrusted Zexion to deliver this to me yesterday."

He handed him the slip of paper and continued on with his explanation. "However time must've gotten away from me and I neglected to observe the deadline. You see that my specimen has become…_disoriented_ after I injected her with a non-lethal dose of an experimental substance. It is only temporary, but I cannot afford to miss a second of my resear-_AUGH_!

Feeling his head jerk back at an awkward angle after Rem purposely lashed her arm out and snatched a chunk of his hair, he couldn't suppress a realistic yell. He predicted during he and the Superior's conversation that she would randomly begin groping for his hair as an attempt at looking slightly disoriented, but he didn't imagine she would do it _that_ quickly.

Vexen worked his fingers into his now tangled blonde hair, and wretched the girl's hand free from the countless little knots.

"As you can see," He began through gritted teeth as he worked on the next hand. "She has spawned a rather grotesque way of pulling hair. I left her alone for about five minutes as -OW!...As I spoke with Zexion about other matters. In that time she began pulling out her _own_ hair and became absorbed with clawing at her face as if attempting to pry her eyeballs from her sockets…"

Rem eventually surrendered her unbreakable grip on her captor's hair, and began groping the air with the same persistency as she had before.

Xemnas didn't seem to be the slightest bit rattled by his explanation. His eyes only narrowed as Vexen went on explaining why his specimen shouldn't be left alone. But in the midst of their brief conversation and Vexen's explanation, two solid knocks came to the other side of the door, which sounded off in a perfect rhythm that only the academic could fully recognize. He stopped short, saying only half a word before looking over his shoulder at the glossy, white double doors.

Saïx.

Feeling his sentence get caught in his throat, Vexen wracked his brain for a quicker conclusion so he could be dismissed from Xemnas' office, and hopefully avoid any confrontations with the blue haired berserker.

"Enter." Xemnas called, separating his hands and gesturing for Vexen to move aside.

As predicted by the scientist, one of the reflective doors was silently pushed open to reveal none other than the luna diviner standing threateningly at it's entrance, glancing from the Superior to Vexen with a cold and unreadable look on his face. But that look suddenly vanished as he stepped fully into the room, and nudged the door closed without turning around.

"Would I be interrupting a meeting, sir?" He questioned in a semi-polite tone, ignoring the look Vexen was offering him. "I can report back when you are finished."

"Nothing of the sort." Xemnas confirmed. "Vexen and I are only going over his mission standards. Is there something you would like to say?"

Rem paused and opened her ears, carefully listening to the new voice that had just entered the room. It was plainly obvious that Vexen wasn't very fond of him, due to the fact that he was squeezing her wrist much harder than usual.

"I've gathered the data from sector K9 located in Radiant Garden…" He began, gliding past Vexen and setting a number of papers on the Superior's desk. "Sectors 1-5 are cleared of any heartless of the lowest type. Sectors 6-11, however, hold the majority of the town's heartless."

"I see…" Xemnas mused, skimming through the sheets of paper with his daunting orange eyes. "And sector K12?"

"Vacant." Saïx confirmed.

Vexen frowned and looked past Saïx, hand raised slightly.

"Superior, if I may take my leave now-

"Are there any reports taken from your past missions that you have failed to give?" Xemnas tested, still skimming Saïx's reports with a hand raised as if waiting for the berserker to put something in it.

"…Yes, only one." Saïx frowned, pulling a piece of paper from thin air quicker than anyone could see, and placing it in Xemnas' open hand.

As he finished reading through the reports that the luna diviner had so kindly provided him with, his eyes wandered to the final record in his right hand. The handwriting was smudged slightly with what looked like traces of water, and the paper was crumpled along the edges and torn at the top.

"Saïx," Xemnas started, "Where exactly did you record this report…?"

"…The Land of the Dragons, sir." He answered hesitantly, noticing that Xemnas seemed displeased with the condition of the single sheet of notes. "Is there a problem?"

"When where you last stationed there?" He questioned, lacing his fingers together for the second time.

Saïx raised his eyebrows.

"Yesterday, sir." He answered respectfully. "Is there a problem?"

The tiny piece of paper sitting on the edge of his desk that was handed to him prior to Saïx entering the room read clearly the words, 'Land of the Dragons' as the destination for the mission. Xemnas uncurled his fingers, paused, and finally reached for the slip with his thumb and index finger.

_**Mission No. 18**_

_**Organization Rank:**__ IV_

_**Location:**__ Land of the Dragons_

_**Primary Objective:**__ Find and eliminate a level 5 heartless located in the mountains. It has the power to manifest itself from snow and ice. Insubordination is not an option. _

_**Deadline:**__ II_

_**Accomplice(s): **__Solo mission_

"Sir-

"There is a heartless in that region that is in need of extermination, correct?" Xemnas started, rubbing his thumb at the corner of the paper. "Level 5?"

"There is," Saïx nodded. "However I believe I assigned Vexen that task the day before…"

Looking over his shoulder with his intimidating, golden eyes, Saïx's glare went unnoticed by the superior as the diviner and academic gained identical stares.

"I see…" He murmured, looking over the piece of paper with curious eyes. "And do you have any scheduled assignments for the remainder of the day?"

Again, Saïx raised his eyebrows and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his neck, flipping his hair over his shoulder in one fluent motion.

"No, sir..."

Xemnas raised his head for the first time in ten minutes and looked past his loyal subordinate to the aggravated scientist behind him. Vexen didn't seem to notice as he stared holes into the closest wall to his specimen, he was looking rather impatient…

"_Vexen_." The tan-skinned man called, locking his sharp, orange eyes with the scientist's.

Vexen blinked unaware at first, then suddenly snapped his head back as quickly as Larxene would've slapped him. Inevitably pinching a nerve in the process, the academic stared at his superior with questioning (and painful) eyes.

"Your mission is no longer solo. I am assigning Saïx as your partner to bring the task down to a minimal…"

--

**How long has it been since I've updated? A month, two months, many months? D: I apologize for making this chapter late, I blame writer's block. I can't even tell you how long I spent just staring at the computer screen without writing anything out; heck I even had this chapter written out several times, but erased it because I didn't like it :p**

**Sorry!**

**P.S.** **Did you know that Xion's theme makes it easier to write out Rem's portions of the story…?**


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